As of: January 20, 2024, 2:31 p.m
By: Tanja Banner
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The most famous comet is on its way back towards the sun.
Halley's Comet will be visible brightly in the sky - but not for a few years.
Munich – Comets used to be considered bad omens, but today they are seen primarily as fascinating celestial objects that offer researchers the opportunity to look into the past of the solar system.
One comet is known like no other: Halley's Comet, also known as 1P/Halley.
The comet is very bright and can be seen from Earth about every 75 years.
It was last seen in the sky in 1986 - bright and attracting great media interest.
But research was also interested in the comet at the time: in 1986, five space probes set their sights on Halley's Comet.
Halley's Comet returns towards the Sun
It will still be a few years before 1P/Halley can next be clearly seen from Earth.
The bright comet is not expected to be in the sky again until July 2061 - so comet observers will have to be patient for many more years - or hope for other bright comets such as C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) in autumn 2024.
Surname: |
1P/Halley (Halley's Comet) |
|---|---|
Discovery: |
1758 (the first sightings occurred much earlier, in 1758 Halley recognized the periodicity) |
Discoverer: |
Edmond Halley |
Radius: |
5.5km |
next perihelion: |
July 28, 2061 |
But despite the long wait for Halley, there is also good news: he is finally returning to the sun.
On its orbit around the sun, Halley's Comet reached the so-called aphelion - the furthest point in its orbit from the sun - on December 8, 2023.
At that time it was 5.26 billion kilometers from the Sun.
But since then its direction has changed: Halley's Comet has set course for the sun again.
The comet will also accelerate, as
space.com
reports.
At aphelion it was traveling comparatively "slowly" at 3272 km/h - while at perihelion (the point closest to the sun) in 1986 it raced through space at 195,609 km/h.
Halley's Comet (1P/Halley) was last seen in the sky in 1986.
He returns in 2061 - and changed direction at the end of 2023.
(Archive image) © imago/Leemage
1P/Halley is the most famous comet in existence
Even if it will be a long time until the next appearance of Halley's Comet, you can already remember when the comet will be visible.
The show is scheduled to begin in the morning sky in mid-June, when Halley is not yet very bright. But it will rise a little higher and become brighter every day.
From around mid-July, Halley's Comet will move into the evening sky and will now also show its conspicuous tail.
In August the comet can only be seen in the evening.
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The comet is best seen from August 4th to 8th, 2061.
Then Halley slowly disappears again and moves away from the sun, out into the vastness of space.
Only to appear in the sky again some 75 years later.
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