History of Comet

By Starcatcher07
  • Jan 1, 1449

    First Attempt

    Astronomers make one of the first known efforts to record the paths of comets across the night sky.
  • Period: Jan 1, 1449 to

    History of Comet

  • Halley's Comet

    Edmond Halley determines that the comets of 1531, 1607 and 1682 are the same comet and predicts its return in 1758. The comet arrives on schedule and is later named Halley's Comet.

  • Converging With Halley's Comet

    An international fleet of five spacecraft converges on comet Halley as it makes its regular (about every 76 years) pass through the inner solar system.

  • Comet Collides With Jupiter

    In the first observed planetary impact by a comet, awed scientists watch as fragments of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 smash into Jupiter's atmosphere.

  • NASA Stardust

    NASA's Stardust spacecraft collects dust samples from comet Wild 2 and images the nucleus.

  • The Deep Impact

    The Deep Impact impactor collides with comet Tempel 1 to reveal the interior of the nucleus.

  • Returning Sample

    The Stardust sample return capsule lands in Utah carrying cometary particles and interstellar dust.

  • Announcement of Sample

    Scientists announce that the amino acid glycine, a building block of life, was collected by the Stardust spacecraft from comet Wild 2.