Time Machine (1909): The Arrival of Halley's Comet Scientific American, adapted by Newsela staff

Time Machine (1909): The Arrival of Halley's Comet

Scientific American, adapted by Newsela staff

Newsela Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the August 14, 1909, edition of Scientific American.

Already in the pages of this magazine mention has been made of the approach of Halley's Comet. It is the most important astronomical event of the years 1909 and 1910. Every 75 or 76 years, this remarkable body completes its far-stretching orbit round the Sun.

Halley's Comet is outside of the Earth's orbit for most of its journey around the Sun. It is invisible in even the strongest telescopes for at least 73 years out of its 75- or 76-year journey.

On its way toward the Sun, it appears as only a faint object in the sky. But each day witnesses its increase in brightness, till at length it is visible to the naked eye.

Comet Will Be Bright and Then Go Out Of Sight

The comet will be brightest during the first week in June 1910. Afterward, it will rapidly decrease in brightness and will soon be lost to view in even the largest telescopes.

It was last seen in May 1836 from an observatory. Although it vanished from sight, its track through space was known exactly. Every lap of its vast orbit has been mapped out with great care. 

It will come nearest to our Earth the first week of June 1910. It will be only 20 million miles distant from us. That is hardly a long distance in space terms.

After this date, it will move swiftly away from the Earth. It will become fainter each day. In the early days of 1911 it will disappear into the night. It will not appear again till the year 1985. By then, most of those who read this article will no longer care about comets.

Observatories Are Ready For the Comet

Observatories with large telescopes wonder which one will be the first to see the returning voyager. It is expected that this will be done in August or September of this year. The comet will then be a faint, indistinct star not far from Orion. 

The comet is well placed for observers in the Southern Hemisphere. There is a hope that a southern observatory may pick up the comet before northern observatories can. From September 1909 to March 1910, the comet will be high up in the midnight sky. It will be well situated for observers all over the world.

The tale of this remarkable comet is very interesting. We can trace back the appearances of Halley's Comet through 20 centuries. Scholars in the Far East and in ancient times made record of it. 

The comet appeared in the year 1066 on a famous piece of art called the Bayeux tapestry. William the Conqueror regarded it as a sign of victory. 

"Fearful stars" also appear in classical literature. Some of them can be claimed as returns of Halley's Comet.

Halley Solves Comet Mystery

Even ancient philosophers may have been too afraid to study the comets. 

Edmund Halley was the first to study the comets. He was a friend of Isaac Newton, a famous scientist who discovered the laws of gravity. Newton asked Halley to study the laws that controlled how the comets moved. Halley studied the 1682 comet. He thought of similar appearances separated by 76 years. He worked out the orbit of the comet and boldly declared that it would again appear in 1758. It was seen for the first time on December 25 of that year by someone in Europe.

Thus, forever the mystery which had gathered round comets was solved. 

There is much interest attached to the appearance of this comet in 1910. It’s coming is eagerly being watched and waited for.