Now Reading: Halley’s Comet to return in July 2061, 76-year orbit
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Halley’s Comet to return in July 2061, 76-year orbit
Halley's Comet will reach its next perihelion, the closest point to the Sun, on July 28, 2061, following its 1986 visit. The comet's orbit averages 76 years, though gravitational pulls from planets…
The Story in Brief
Halley's Comet will reach its next perihelion, the closest point to the Sun, on July 28, 2061, following its 1986 visit. The comet's orbit averages 76 years, though gravitational pulls from planets can shift it between 74.4 and 79.3 years. Its unusual path is tilted and opposite to the planets' direction.
For most people alive today, this will be the only realistic chance to see the comet itself. Its debris already creates the annual Eta Aquarid and Orionid meteor showers. In 1986, Halley was faint from urban areas and just brighter than Polaris. An international fleet of spacecraft, including ESA's Giotto, photographed its nucleus close-up.
The Indian Opinion
The 'once-in-a-lifetime' hype around Halley's 2061 return ignores how faint and disappointing the 1986 apparition was for city dwellers. Many expect a blazing streak, but the comet may again be a dim smudge. The real test is not the comet itself but whether younger generations will care enough to travel for a dark sky view. Will India's light pollution and urban sprawl allow anyone to actually see it?
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
