* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: Halley's Comet

Blobrana · L

The Earth passed through the tail of Halley's Comet in 1910.

The 1910 approach, which came into naked-eye view around 10 April and came to perihelion on 20 April, was notable for several reasons: it was the first approach of which photographs exist, and the first for which spectroscopic data were obtained. Furthermore, the comet made a relatively close approach of 0.15AU, making it a spectacular sight. Indeed, on 19 May, the Earth actually passed through the tail of the comet.
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Blobrana · L

Halley's Comet made its closest approach to the Earth on the 10th April, 837 AD. (0.0342 AU)

Spoiler

Blobrana · L

Spoiler

Spoiler

The first certain appearance of Halley's Comet in the historical record is a description from 240 BC, in the Chinese chronicle Records of the Grand Historian or Shiji, which describes a comet that appeared in the east and moved north.
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Blobrana · L

In 240 BC and earlier, records show that Chinese astronomers saw the comet appear from as early as 467 BC. After 240 BC, records were made by the Chinese, Babylonian, Persian, and other astronomers from Mesopotamia.
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Blobrana · L

First recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet in 240BC.

Blobrana · L

The 1910 approach, which came into view around 20 April, was notable for several reasons: it was the first approach of which photographs exist, and the first for which spectroscopic data were obtained. Furthermore, the comet made a relatively close approach of 0.15AU, making it a spectacular sight. Indeed, on 18 May, the Earth actually passed through the tail of the comet. One of the substances discovered in the tail by spectroscopic analysis was the toxic gas cyanogen, which led astronomer Camille Flammarion to claim that, when Earth passed through the tail, the gas "would impregnate the atmosphere and possibly snuff out all life on the planet."

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Blobrana · L

Comet P/Halley 1910

Blobrana · L

Halley's Comet made its closest approach to the Earth on the 10th April, 837 AD. (0.0342 AU)

Blobrana · L

The first certain appearance of Halley's Comet in the historical record is a description from 240 BC, in the Chinese chronicle Records of the Grand Historian or Shiji, which describes a comet that appeared in the east and moved north.