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When will Halley's Comet return?
The last time we saw Halley's Comet was in April of 1986.
We will not see it again until July of 2061. Below are the dates for the
predicted maximum brightness of the comet and its estimated apparent
magnitude:
30.......April 7, 1986.......+2.1
31.......July 29, 2061.......-0.3
32.......May 7, 2134.......-2.0
On return cycle number 32, which is as far as we dare to attempt a forecast,
Halley's Comet will have a magnitude of -2.0, making it brighter than even the
planet Jupiter during opposition ( that's the time when Jupiter is closest to
the Earth in its orbit).
So, you will probably be around for its next passage in 2061!!!
Copyright 1997 Dr. Sten Odenwald
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