Having delighted University of Hawaii astronomers for the past year and a half, the hurtling blob of ice and debris is at last moving into view of the naked eye - and promises to be no less spectacular.

About a half hour before dawn, away from the city lights, Hale-

Bopp can be spotted in the northeastern sky 30 degrees above the horizon.

It should appear as bright as most stars, only fuzzier, said Dave Tholen, University of Hawaii associate professor of astronomy. That's because of the massive chunks of dust, gas and other materials shed by the comet when it nears the sun.

Along with Comet Hyakutake, which passed within 10 million miles of Earth last year, Hale-

Bopp is one of the brightest comets to approach the planet since Comet West in 1976, he said.

"This comet seems to have spectacular jets of dust and gas coming off the surface that we don't always see in comets," agreed Karen Meech, also a University of Hawaii associate astronomy professor.

But prime viewing time won't be for another month. Hale-Bopp will be at its brightest between March 23 and April 11, and by then the best time for viewing will be between 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., according to Bishop Museum Planetarium manager Peter Michaud.

The comet's "puff-ball" characteristics and wispy tail will be perceptable to the naked eye, but with binoculars viewers will be able to see details in the comet's head, Michaud said.

Hale-Bopp is named for its simultaneous discoverers: Alan Hale of the Southwest Institute for Space Research in Cloudcroft, N.M., and amateur astronomer Thomas Bopp of Glendale, Ariz. Both reported seeing a fuzzy spot in the constellation Sagittarius on July 23, 1995.

Since then, University of Hawaii scientists at Mauna Kea Observatories have kept a keen telescopic eye on the phenomenon.

As remnants of solar systems' earliest days, comets carry precious clues, Meech said.

"They are kind of leftover debris that have been in cold deep storage since that time," she said.

The brighter the comet, the more details scientists are likely to glean. Already, astronomers have discovered organic molecules in Hale-Bopp that could lead to new thinking about the chemical conditions that surrounded the planets' formations, Meech said.

Hale-Bopp's estimated diameter is 25 miles, four times that of Halley's Comet, which last passed Earth in 1986. Hale-Bopp is expected to pass Earth at a distance of 123 million miles.

At its brightest, the comet's shine should nearly match that of Venus, but the light will be spread out over a large area, making it appear like a cloud at night.

Tholen said the northern countries will have the best view of the comet. Right now, the Makapuu area is the best place on Oahu to view Hale-Bopp, he said.

For late March and early April, he recommends Central Oahu and the North Shore.