ORLANDO, Fla. – One of the most famous comets in history will soon be back on its way toward the inner solar system. Don’t get too excited just yet, though. It still has 38 more years to go until we can see it again on earth.
On Saturday, Halley’s Comet will reach aphelion or greatest distance from the sun which is beyond the planet Neptune.
Halley’s Comet is considered a short-period comet, a comet that has an orbit of less than 200 years. On average, the comet is visible from earth every 76 years.
It was last visible in 1986 and will become visible again in 2061.
The comet is named after English astronomer Edmond Halley who correctly predicted the comet would return in the year 1758. Until that point, it was believed comets only made one pass through the solar system.
Halley’s Comet isn’t just famous for its multiple recorded occurrences in history, it’s also been one of the brightest.
In astronomy, the smaller the number, the brighter the object.
During the comet’s last pass in 1986, it reached magnitude 2.
For comets, the size of the nucleus also is extremely important as to how visible it will be in the sky. A large nucleus will make it easier to view.
Comets are large icy bodies that move through space that oftentimes originate from the Kuiper Belt or Oort Cloud beyond the orbit of Pluto.
Typically they are the size of a small town. On approach to the sun, they heat up producing the iconic glowing head and tail.