For my blog post I wanted to focus on comets. I figured I would do some research on the only comet I knew by name before taking astronomy, Halley’s Comet. Halley is the most famous of its kind and its presence in our history goes back more than 1000 years. Halley was last seen in 1986 and won’t be back until 2061. Edmond Halley, after whom the comet is named, used Newton’s theories to predict the return of the comet based on observations made as far back as 1531 1607 and 1682. In 1758 Halley’s predictions came true and the comet returned. The comet was significant to human history long before Halley named it. It appears in the Bayeux tapestry, a depiction of the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Scientists predict that Halley has been in its current orbit for about 16,000 years. Halley does more than just come by Earth’s view every so often, it is actually responsible for two meteor showers every year. Eta Aquarids in May and the Orionids in October are the result of Halley shedding ice and rock into the inner solar system.
The Most Famous Comet
Garrett's Night Sky 