Home
Fact Categories
Animal Facts
Chemistry Facts
Country Facts
Disease Facts
Dinosaur Facts
Engineering Facts
Famous People Facts
Food Facts
Human Body Facts
Insect Facts
Planet Facts
Plant Facts
Random Facts
Space Facts
Technology Facts
U.S. State Facts
War Facts
Water Facts
Weather Facts
About
Contact
Home
Space Facts
Comet Facts
Halley's CometFacts
Halley's Comet Facts for Kids
Common Name:
Halley's Comet
Offical Designation:
1P/Halley
Orbital Period:
About 75 years
Last Close Earth Visit:
1986
Next Close Earth Visit:
2061
Discovered:
1705 (first determination)
Discovered by:
Edmond Halley
15 Halley's Comet Facts for Kids
Halley's Comet is a short-period comet in our Solar System.
The official designated name for Halley's Comet is 1P/Halley.
Halley's Comet was discovered by Edmond Halley in 1758.
Edmond Halley predicted that Halley's Comet was in fact a comet, however there is evidence that exists that it was observed by ancient astronomers.
Halley's Comet passes by Earth every 75 to 76 years, classifying it as a short-period comet.
A human could see Halley's Comet twice in their lifetime.
The last time Halley's Comet was nearest (perihelion) to Earth was on February 9th, 1986.
The next time Halley's Comet will be nearest to Earth is on July 28th, 2061.
The first picture of Halley's Comet was taken in 1910.
Halley's Comet was the first comet to be extensively studied by a spacecraft.
The coma (tail) of Halley's Comet can reach up to 62,000 miles in length.
The estimated averaged diameter of Halley's Comet is 7 miles.
The estimated rotation period of Halley's Comet is 2 days, 4 hours and between 43 and 48 minutes.
The Orionid meteor shower, which occurs annually in October, is caused by fragments from Halley's Comet.
The Chinese chronicle Records of the Grand Historian contains the first historical record of Halley's Comet in 240 BC.
More Comet Facts
Hale-Bopp Facts
Halley's Comet Facts
Shoemaker-Levy 9 Facts
More Comet Facts
Select another comet...
Hale-Bopp Facts
Halley's Comet Facts
Shoemaker-Levy 9 Facts
Halley's Comet Pictures
A photo of Halley's Comet in 1910.
Credit: NASA
A photo of Halley's Comet in 1985.
Credit: NASA
A photo of Halley's Comet in 1986.
Credit: NASA
Additional Resources with Halley's Comet Facts
1P/Halley - Halley's Comet
- Get an in-depth understanding of Halley's comet on the NASA Solar System Exploration website.
Pictures of Halley's Comet
- View a beautiful archive of Halley's comet pictures on the Space.com website.
Halley's Comet - Wikipedia
- Learn about Halley's comet and its history on the Wikipedia website.