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Whose calculations helped predict the return of Halley’s Comet?

AstronomyComets

Quick Answer

Edmond Halley predicted that the comet seen in 1531, 1607 and 1682 was the same object and would return in 1758. The comet returned after his death and now bears his name.

The Full Story

English astronomer Edmond Halley compared records of bright comets and realized that the comets seen in 1531, 1607 and 1682 were not separate bodies. He predicted in 1705 that the comet would return in 1758. It did, confirming the periodic nature of Halley’s Comet and becoming one of astronomy’s great successes. The comet is now named in Halley’s honor.

Key Facts

1.Prediction published in 1705
2.Return expected in 1758
3.Comet seen in 1531, 1607 and 1682

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"A comet predicted decades before it came back."