The most famous periodic comet, visible to the naked eye from Earth roughly every 76 years. Its return was first correctly predicted using Newtonian mechanics, confirming that at least some comets follow closed, elliptical orbits rather than passing through the solar system once. It last appeared in 1986 and is expected to return around 2061.
Facts
Diameter (km) Orbital Distancereturns to the inner solar system approximately every 76 years 1 Discovery YearYear Edmond Halley published his prediction that the comet was periodic, using Newton's gravitational calculations; the comet itself had been observed since antiquity, but 1705 is when its periodic nature was established. The prediction was confirmed when the comet returned on 25 December 1758. Sources
1. NASA Solar System Exploration
National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationEntity description, halleys-comet catalogue classificationQuote, Entity description, halleys-comet catalogue classification
The most famous periodic comet, visible to the naked eye from Earth roughly every 76 years.
2. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia FoundationHalley's Comet, Wikipedia - pronunciation section
Comet Halley is usually pronounced
Halley's Comet, Wikipedia - discovery and identification section
in his 1705 Synopsis of the Astronomy of Comets, used Newton's new laws to calculate the gravitational effects of Jupiter and Saturn on cometary orbits
Halley's Comet, Wikipedia - physical characteristics infobox
approximately 2.2 x 10^14 kg
View the Source Wikipedia: Halley's Comet
Wikimedia FoundationIn Group: Short-Period Comets, Lead sentenceQuote, In Group: Short-Period Comets, Lead sentence
Halley's Comet is the only known short-period comet that is consistently visible to the naked eye from Earth, appearing roughly every 74-79 years.
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