Saw this on a website:
Halley’s Comet
The 1910 approach, which came into naked-eye view around 10 April and came to perihelion on 20 April, was notable for several reasons:
it was the first approach of which photographs exist, and
the first for which spectroscopic data were obtained.
Thirdly, it fulfilled Mark Twain’s famous claim that he came in with the comet and would go out with the comet. He died April 21st, 1910.
Furthermore, the comet made a relatively close approach of 0.15 AU, making it a spectacular sight.
Indeed, on 19 May, Earth actually passed through the tail of the comet.
One of the substances discovered in the tail by spectroscopic analysis was the toxic gas cyanogen, which led astronomer Camille Flammarion to claim that, when Earth passed through the tail, the gas “would impregnate the atmosphere and possibly snuff out all life on the planet.”
His pronouncement led to panicked buying of gas masks and quack “anti-comet pills” and “anti-comet umbrellas” by the public. In reality, as other astronomers were quick to point out, the gas is so diffuse that the world suffered no ill effects from the passage through the tail.
It will next appear in mid-2061 to 2062, so, no need for all you Flammarion Deniers to hold your breath.
(He was a scientist, you know.)
How did the tp supply hold up?
Thank you for not excoriating me on the use of the word “thirdly.” I’m not going to look it up, but I seem to remember vaguely that it was frowned upon by Strunk & White, or by Miss Alsobusty, my English teacher.
If it didn’t get redlined it’s okay.
In 1986 my scout troop went to the Haley’s Comet Camporee. It was cloudy and rainy so no one saw the comet that campout.
We also must’ve set our tent up wrong because a stream of water ran down the middle of our tent most of the rainy night. We were so tired we just rolled over and went back to sleep.
We didn’t use up all the toilet paper and no one had gas masks.
As an outsider: I thought they were generally called Jamborees?
Halley vs. United States. Halley: 7, United States: nothing. You see, it can be done!
I saw Halley’s comet in ‘86. I drove out to a lake in the middle of the night to see it. It wasn’t much to look at really. The comet in 2003 or so was a sight to see.
Never had the chance to see Bill Halley and the comets.
I was just reminded (Well, it’s been 20 plus minutes NOW), lol) of Halley’s Comet while watching, Time Tunnel, End of the World, and I came upon this story, I love the comparison you make with the Coronavirus, with SO many people going crazy buying up ALL of the TP, etc and SOME “experts” with their constant doom and gloom forecasts…love Trump’s positive attitude of hope!!!!! …I KNEW that there was a connection to an older movie or whatever to what’s currently happening, oh, THIS EPISODE, thanks a lot for this very interesting write-up…and the comments!!!