This week, Halley's Comet will be in for something spectacular.
Halley's Comet To Reach Farthest Point From Sun
Halley's Comet is set to reach the farthest point from the Sun this week and start its journey back. This is something that comets typically do. Every X years, they rotate the Sun. In the case of Halley's Comet, it takes 75 to 79 years for the snowball to do so. The comet only pops on Earth's night sky when it nears the Sun.
The last time Halley's Comet was visible from our planet was back in 1986. It is one of the few comets that can be witnessed twice within a single human lifetime. Hence, for those who were able to catch this celestial sight back then, the thought of the comet's return could come as quite a shock.
Halley's Comet will arrive at its aphelion, which refers to the farthest point in its orbit, at 21:00 EST on December 8. However, it will take a while before the comet will be visible in the night sky. As it starts moving back into the inner solar system, it will be as far as roughly 35 distances between the Earth and Sun.
The snowball will be seen from Earth around July 2061. By then, it will be much closer and brighter compared to its last appearance in 1986.
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Halley's Comet
Halley's Comet, or 1P Halley, is arguably history's most famous comet. It was named after Edmond Halley, an English astronomer from the 18th century who was the first to calculate the snowball's orbit and project its return.
Aside from its last appearance in 1986, the snowball has been observed on several occasions across history. It is even possible that its most famous appearance was when the bright "Star of Bethlehem" led the Magi to Jesus' birthplace.
Dr. Minjae Kim, a research fellow from the University of Warwick's Department of Physics, explains that comets, which are star-like but not stars, grant a distinct explanation as they soar through the sky and may have guided the magi. The comet was also visible in 12 B.C. In around 5 B.C., Korean and Chinese stargazers were able to document an object, which may have been a nova or comet, that aligned with the estimated time of Jesus' birth between 4 B.C. and 6 B.C.
However, it is still possible that the famous "Star of Bethlehem" was a bright planet or even a supernova.
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