Let us find out the short-period comet on Facts about Halley’s Comet. It is often called as 1P/Halley or Comet Halley. You have to wait for 75 to 76 years to spot the presence of Comet Halley from Earth. People can spot this comet with naked eyes. In a human lifetime, this comet might appear twice. The next appearance of Halley’s Comet will be in 2061. The last appearance was in 1986 in the inner parts of Solar System.
Facts about Halley’s Comet 1: the record
Halley’s Comet is not a new astronomical object for human being. The recorded appearance of this comet was dated back since 240 AD.
Facts about Halley’s Comet 2: the appearance
The European chroniclers, Babylonian and Chinese had recorded the appearance of Halley’s Comet. However, they never thought that these astronomical object reappeared.
Facts about Halley’s Comet 3: Edmond Halley
Edmond Halley was the English astronomer who found out the periodicity of Halley’s Comet in 1705. The comet is named after him.
Facts about Halley’s Comet 4: the observation
The first comet observed thoroughly by a spacecraft was Halley’s Comet during its apparition in 1986. The data related to the tail formation, coma mechanism and come structure were observed.
Facts about Halley’s Comet 5: Fred Whipple’s “dirty snowball” model
Fred Whipple’s “dirty snowball” model made a prediction related to the composition of Halley’s Comet. This model suggested that dust and volatile ices as the primary components of the comet. Ammonia, carbon dioxide and water were included in volatile ices. This model was supported after the observational data were obtained from the apparition of Comet Halley in 1986.
Facts about Halley’s Comet 6: a periodic comet
Halley’s Comet is the first comet known as periodic one. Halley realized that the comet would come back in the inner parts for every 75 to 76 years.
Facts about Halley’s Comet 7: prediction
Halley made a prediction that the similar comet would return in 1758. However, he could not observe it because he passed away in 1742.
Facts about Halley’s Comet 8: naming the comet
In 1759, Nicolas Louis de Lacaille named the comet after Edmond Halley. De Lacaille was an astronomer from France.
Facts about Halley’s Comet 9: the length of coma
The coma of Halley’s Comet may extend up to 100,000 kilometers.
Facts about Halley’s Comet 10: the active comet
Of all periodic comets, Halley’s Comet is considered as the most active one. The less active periodic comets include Comet Holmes and Comet Encke.
Are you well informed after reading facts about Halley’s Comet?
