Halley's CometSince 240 B.C., Chinese observers have documented a nearly unbroken record of scientifically useful observations of Periodic Comet Halley (P/Halley). Investigations of the comet's motion by Western astronomers are discussed, taking into account the first successful prediction of a cometary return by Halley (1705), computations conducted by Rosenberger (1830), and studies performed by Cowell and Crommelin (1910). Comet Halley's motion and nongravitational forces are considered along with meteor showers associated with P/Halley. The physical properties of P/Halley are examined, giving attention to the visual observations, the light curve of P/Halley, the coma, the tails, direct photographs, spectrograms, and the emission spectrum of P/Halley. Other subjects explored are related to the cometary nucleus, the mass of P/Halley, the rotation period and axial inclination, the composition, a nominal model of P/Halley's coma, and plans for investigations in connection with the coming apparition of Comet Halley.
Document ID
19820052244
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Other - Collected Works
Authors
Newburn, R. L., Jr. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Yeomans, D. K. (California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena CA, United States)