🤔 Today's Trivia Question:

Halley's Comet is Visible From Earth Every How Many Years?

Correct Answer: C) 75 Years

☄️ Halley's Comet: A Celestial Visitor with a Legendary Past

Halley's Comet is one of the most well-known comets in history, returning to Earth's vicinity approximately every 75 years. Its periodic nature allows some people the rare opportunity to witness it twice in their lifetime. The last sighting occurred in 1986, and the next is anticipated for 2061.

The comet, formally known as 1P/Halley, is named after the English astronomer Edmond Halley. In the late 17th century, Halley noticed that comet sightings in 1531, 1607, and 1682 appeared to be the same object on a repeated orbit around the sun. He correctly predicted its return in 1758, confirming that certain comets have a periodic trajectory. Although Halley did not live to see his prediction come true, his calculations revolutionized the study of comets and earned the celestial visitor its name.

Historically, Halley's Comet has been observed for centuries. Ancient Chinese records document sightings as early as 239 B.C., and Babylonian records likely noted the comet's passages in 164 B.C. and 87 B.C. The comet's appearance has also been linked to significant historical events. For instance, it was famously depicted in the 1066 Bayeux Tapestry during William the Conqueror’s invasion of England, where it was viewed as a harbinger of change.

Renaissance and Enlightenment periods transformed the understanding of Halley's Comet. During these times, astronomers began to adopt the heliocentric model, which placed the sun at the center of the solar system, thanks to the groundwork laid by Nicolaus Copernicus. Edmond Halley's identification of the comet's recurring nature symbolized a shift in how celestial bodies were studied.

Halley's Comet made history again in 1910 when it passed unusually close to Earth at 13.9 million miles away, a strikingly vivid encounter that allowed the first-ever photographs of the comet. In 1986, when it last visited, several international spacecraft, including the Soviet Vega probes, gathered valuable data on its composition, marking humanity's first close-up study of a comet.

Today, scientists continue to learn about comets by examining similar celestial bodies, like Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko, studied by the European Space Agency’s Rosetta probe. These investigations help unravel the mysteries of our solar system, laying the groundwork for Halley's anticipated return in the mid-21st century.

Read More at Space.com