Halley's Comet

Science / Astronomy

    Halley's Comet

Edmond Halley produced the first atlas stars in the Southern Hemisphere.

Edmond Halley (1656-1742), was an English astronomer. In 1705, he discovered the "Halley's Comet" suppose to take 76 years to complete one orbit around the sun. An expert on comets, he realized that they orbited the Sun and calculated the orbits of 24. He claimed that comets observed in 1531, 1607, and 1682 were one and the same. He also said that the comet appeared at 76-year intervals.


Halley was right. What is now famously known as "Halley's Comet", last seen in 1986, is suppose to circle back in 2062.  The orbits of comets are elliptical unlike those of the planets and asteroids. The size of their orbits determines how often they will be seen.


Related Articles:

"Meteor Shower from Halley's Comet Peaks Tonight: How to Watch Online." Live Science.  Accessed May 5, 2014.
"Meteor Shower Made by Halley's Comet is Peaking Now: Watch Live Online.  Space.  Accessed May 5, 2014
Science and Technology Year by Year. The Five Mile Press. London (2001).



Image Credit:

"Halley's Comet on 8 March 1986". Wiki Commons Public Domain created by NASA . Accessed 5 May 2014

Note: I originally published this piece from my previous science blog now close: Inspired Science Moments.


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