Google is celebrating
Edmund Halley's birthday today, so it seemed like a good time to
mention something that's been on my mind. It's about life, wonder, and
celestial bodies.
![Lspn_comet_halley.jpg](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_u73SFiA2OrQQX-0qdqRSaxxL9qXVui0-sFhJae1YlAeb7ZS5JmCMGjC8NA8VxX-UWwG-CHIQue5NmtD3HsUv2xFc4PnnKy2IlXsEvoKEH-WT_WAEFNZaxDW67R6GXthinNyt9fALeJEAXLt2Hyk54Iy6AKMOc2dZf4ENZMvIGgfQ=s0-d)
Halley's Comet is somewhat unique, being the only
short period comet visible to the naked eye. "Short period" here is
something of an astronomy-centric phrase, given that it only appears
every 75 years. I think a big part of the magic of Halley's Comet lies
in the breadth of that period. It's just about the length of a human
life, which means if you remember seeing the comet, you're unlikely to
live long enough to see it again; though your children most certainly
will. We divide much of our time up according to celestial events - the
solar day, the lunar month - and Halley's Comet feels as if it fits into
that, a pendulum marking out a human lifespan with each swing.
The question is, will our increasing lifespans erode that magic?
The question is, will our increasing lifespans erode that magic?
MORE: http://scienceblogs.com/sciencepunk/2011/11/will_halleys_comet_lose_its_sp.php
gaw
Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,
Friends of the Zeiss < http://friendsofthezeiss.org >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
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