What years has Halley's comet appeared?

Answer 1

Halley's comet was last seen in the year 1986. It is seen after every 75 to 76 years, having a relatively stable period affected by Jupiter and Saturn. It can be observed for three or four months before, and several months after its closest approach to the Sun.

It will next be visible to the naked eye in July 2061.

Answer 2

Edmund Halley did not discover the comet that bears his name. Rather, he is the one who predicted its return from computations he made in the 18th century. The comet 1P/Halley has been observed and recorded as a visitor to the inner solar system at least as early as 240 BC. A link follows this post, and can be found below.

Answer 3

The comet that we now call "Halley's Comet" has been observed dozens of times. The earliest recorded observation of this body was about 2500 years ago by Greek and Chinese astronomers.

Edmund Halley was the first person who recognized that many of the reported comet sightings in the old records were the SAME comet, coming by again and again. Based on his analysis, he predicted in 1705 that this comet would once again be visible in 1758. The comet was named in his honor.

Halley himself died in 1742, so he did not get to see his prediction verified.

Answer 4

That date is lost in history. Pretty good sized comets come along every decade or so, and have since the time when the dinosaurs were the newest life form. In fact, if we could figure out when these strange apes that stood erect came along we'd have the answer within 10 years.

Meteors fall by the thousands every night. Without city lights to wash out the sky, we would see "falling stars" every night.

Answer 5

Halley's comet never orbits the Earth. It's in a highly elliptical (long and skinny) orbit

of the sun, that takes it far out among the outer planets, and brings it into the inner

solar system, in a cycle of 74 to 76 years. Like all comets, it's a relatively tiny body

compared to the planets, and it's visible to us only during the short part of its orbit

in the inner solar system. That last happened in 1986, and it's expected back in our

neighborhood around the year 2061.

Answer 6

In most years several comets are visible, though most of them are faint enough you have to be actively looking for them and have a telescope. Comets bright enough to be readily visible with the naked eye from a light-polluted urban area are less common.

Answer 7

Several comets are observed every year. Not all of them are spectacular, or can even be seen with the naked eye.

Several comets are observed every year. Not all of them are spectacular, or can even be seen with the naked eye.

Several comets are observed every year. Not all of them are spectacular, or can even be seen with the naked eye.

Several comets are observed every year. Not all of them are spectacular, or can even be seen with the naked eye.

Answer 8

Although he didn't live to see his proof accepted, Edmund Halley proved that

the comet eventually named after him has visited the inner solar system every

75-76 years since the beginning of recorded history. It's expected to stop by

again around 2061.

Answer 9

There are thousands of comet-hunters in their observatories every night hoping to discover the "next great comet". These things are not generally predictable.

Perhaps it will be tonight!

Answer 10

Closest point was on Febuary 9.

The 1986 approach was the least favourable for Earth observers of all recorded passages of the comet throughout history: the comet did not achieve the spectacular brightness of some previous approaches, and with increased light pollution from urbanization, many people never saw the comet at all. Further, the comet appeared brightest when it was almost invisible from the northern hemisphere in March and April.