One of the most renowned comets in history, Halley's Comet, is embarking on its nearly four-decade-long voyage back towards the Sun, making a close pass by Earth along the way.
On December 9th, the comet reached its aphelion, the farthest point from the Sun, surpassing the orbit of Neptune.At this point in Halley's orbit, it displays a distinguishing characteristic of a retrograde orbit, which sets it apart from the planets in our solar system.
After that, Halley will begin its return journey towards the Sun and will reach its perihelion (the point closest to the Sun) in mid-2061. It is during this period that the comet will reappear in our skies, having last been visible in 2003.
Halley's Comet has been observed throughout history, with English astronomer Edmond Halley predicting its return. The last sighting occurred in 1986, and since then, it has been absent from our view. Given its 76-year orbit, one might speculate that it fled Earth after witnessing the fashion trends of the 80s.
Although 76 years may seem lengthy to humans, Halley's orbit is relatively short for comets. The "P" in its formal name, 1P/Halley, denotes "periodic," signifying comets with orbits shorter than 200 years, as considered by astronomers.
Despite an estimated orbit of at least 16,000 years, Halley's Comet shows no apparent signs of aging, as per NASA observations. While we await its reappearance in 2061, Halley leaves us with two meteor showers to enjoy in the meantime – the Eta Aquariids in May and the Orionids in October, both formed from the rocky debris in Halley's wake, providing a spectacular celestial display.