As I was growing up, I remember my parents making references to a comet called Halley. I knew that it had passed Earth around the time that I was born, so I have decided to do more research.
Halley's Comet last approached Earth in 1986. It is the most popular of periodic comets and is viewable to us about every 75 years. Periodic comets are defined as comets that have orbits that return the comet near to Earth's view within 200 years of the last pass. However, this pass was not the best. With added light pollution, only certain people, mainly those in the southern hemisphere, were able to catch a glimpse of this interesting occurrence.
Halley's Comet is popular because it can be seen by the naked-eye. Therefore, it is referred to as a naked-eye comet. Although many people were not able to see the comet, advancements in technology allowed astronomers to send spacecrafts equipped with telescopes to get a better view of the comet. Given its small orbit, it should reappear around 2061.
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