Over many orbits, the cumulative effect of gravitational perturbations on comets with high orbital inclinations and small perihelion distances is generally to reduce the perihelion distance to very small values. Hale–Bopp has about a 15% chance of eventually becoming a sungrazing comet through this process. If such is the case, it could undergo huge mass loss, or break up into smaller pieces like the Kreutz sungrazers. It would also be extremely bright, due to a combination of closeness to the Sun and nuclei size, potentially exceeding Halley's Comet in 837 AD.
Over many orbits the cumulative effect of gravitational perturbations on comets with high orbital inclinations and small perihelion distances is generally to reduce the perihelion distance to very small values Hale–Bopp has about a 15% chance of eventually becoming a sungrazing comet through this process If such is the case it could undergo huge mass loss or break up into smaller pieces like the Kreutz sungrazers It would also be extremely bright due to a combination of closeness to the Sun and nuclei size potentially exceeding Halley's Comet in 837 AD