HALLEY’S COMET.

Golden Bay Argus, Volume XIII, Issue 51, 19 May 1910, Page 4

HALLEY’S COMET.

TO TKK KDITOR

Sin, Can you tell me through your paper when linlley, Die As-, tronomer, was horn and when lie died. By doing so you will oblige many of your subscribers, also iny-t self. I am, etc. C. Cecil, Lasii.

Kockville, i6th May, J9lO.

[Edmund Halley was.bom.in London in i6-;6 and died in I 74 2 - Being a son of wealthy parents he first took up the study of astronomy as a hobby, and while still quite a young' man. mad.; some very important discoveries in the astronomical world, and his researches throughout a long life added.very much valuable information to the then scientific knowledge of the world. He was Professor of Astronomy at Oxford, and afterwards. Astronomer Royal. His name is given to the comet now appearing because he identified it with a comet which had made periodical visits for many centuries at intervals of about 75 years, and predicted its return in 1758, which was affirmed, although' made 53 'years prior to the,, re-appearance.of the comet*. .'. Halley., also /fixed: the dates of the subsequent'; 're-appea'rf ances.of the cornet in 1835 and 1918/ Before Halley':s'tiuiervery little-was known of the system on which comets made through' space, aud.tbey -w.<sr.e..;lpoked upon generally with superstition, or "at least regarded to ithe.solar system, arriving- no one r gOJU J g''no oil® :.kuew whither." .Wriihig ..of Bailey's first ! Robert •Ball says an .h.ls. interesting book '.«> Great indeed, a remarkable prediction : of an event to Occur 53 years after It had been uttered. ..Theway -in which it was fulfilled forms one of the most striking episodes in the. history of astronomy. The comet was first seen on Christmas Day, 1758, and passed through its nearest point to the Sun ;on March 13th, 1759- Halley had "then been lying in bis grave for r 7 years, yet the verification of his prophecy reflects a glory on his narifewhich will cause it to live for ever in theannals of astronomy.-" Writing himself of his ..prophecy, Professor Halley said : "If it should return, according to our predictions, about the year 1758, "impartial posterity will not refuse to acknow'edge tint this was first : discovered by an Englishman."—Kd. G. B.A.]