Halley’s comet farthest from the sun this week

Halley’s Comet – the most famous of all comets is coming to the end of the invisible tether binding it to our sun. This comet has been heading away from the sun since its last closest approach in 1986. Now it’s reaching the end of its outward journey, due to arrive at its farthest point from our sun on December 9, 2023. Afterwards, it’ll start making the trip back toward the sun, due to arrive in our vicinity by 2061.

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This was a Comet that I paid a lot of attention to back in 1986. It also marked the beginning of my Adult pursuit of Amateur Astronomy, as it was with its last visit was the beginning of my recorded Observing Log.  The image above is from my log book from 1986. I was using a set of 10×50 binoculars that I had purchased from the Army and Navy store in Calgary.   The observations I made were done from my back yard in Strathmore Alberta.  In the early morning hours.  This was just before perihelion (closest approach) on February 9,1986.

I did also get another chance to see it later in May, at which time it was on the other side in the evening hours, and it was May and I was in Regina, but I did not make a log entry for that time.

It was a disappointing apparition and since then I have seen much better and brighter comets.   But,  it signaled the beginning of my astronomical journey during my adult life.  I don’t think I will see this comet again myself, since when it returns in 2061 I would be around 105 years old.  So the next time it will be for my children or perhaps my Grandchildren.

In 2061, we can expect a different experience, being able to see it brighter, in the morning over the winter and in the summer in the evening sky.  The following article gives a good overview as to what to expect.  Space.com: Halley’s Comet is comming!

Why is Halley’s comet so famous?

It was the first comet ever predicted to return. After observing a “hairy star” in 1682, English astronomer Edmond Halley looked at the historic record of such objects. He noted similarities in visits from objects in 1531, 1607 and 1682 and believed they were appearances of the same object. Then, he predicted that this “hairy star” would return in 1758.  And so it did, although Halley himself didn’t live to see it. But the comet now bears his name.

The Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower is associated with the Debris of the comet in May, and in October we intersect another part of Halley’s tail when we see the Orionid Meteor shower.

An image of Halley’s Comet, taken on May 29, 1910.

Visit the Portfolio with information on other comets we have reported about.