Halley’s Comet - P1

Halley’s Comet or Comet Halley (officially designated 1P/Halley) is the most famous of the periodic comets, and is visible from Earth every 75 to 76 years. Many comets with long orbital periods may appear brighter and more spectacular, but Halley is the only short-period comet that is clearly visible to the naked eye, and thus, the only naked-eye comet that might appear twice in a human lifetime. During its returns to the inner solar system, it has been observed by astronomers since at least 240 BC, but it was only recognized as a periodic comet in the 18th century when its orbit was computed by English astronomer Edmond Halley, after whom it is named. Halley’s Comet last appeared in the inner Solar System in 1986 and will next appear in mid-2061. During its 1986 apparition, Halley’s Comet became the first to be observed in detail by spacecraft, providing the first observational data on the construction of the comet nucleus and the mechanism of tail formation. These observations supported a number of longs