Catching a last look at Comet Halley requires planning

Is Comet Halley gone for us in Manitoba? If we want to see it again, do we have to travel? Every day we hear from people who want to know about the prospects of seeing the comet before advantages for another 75 years.

Although Comet Halley’s best show still lies ahead, most of it will not be visible from Manitoba. There will be two opportunities for us to see it, but it will require some planning. Now is the time to look at the options and figure out what you are going to do.

The comet is currently near the sun in the sky and is lost in its glare. When we last saw it, it was heading toward the sun in the evening sky. When it re-emerges, it will be rising before the sun at dawn. From day-to-day it will slide southward along the horizon, until by the end of March it will be so far South that we will not be able to see it from Manitoba skies as it speeds away from earth.

At Winnipeg’s latitude, the possibility of observing the comet in March is marginal. Success depends on the clarity of the atmosphere along the eastern horizon, and a lot of luck. The best opportunity occurs around March 15–25.

Like a teapot

Here is what you will have to do: First, become familiar with the predawn sky. It is beautiful these days; the Milky Way is rising in the east, and Mars and Saturn are shining in the South. The key to finding the comet is learning how to recognize Sagittarius, one of the constellations of the Zodiac. It looks like a little teapot. If this is unfamiliar to you, there are some maps available from the planetarium. The one that shows the teapot along with the position of the comet costs 25 cents. Even if you know this part of the sky, it is sometimes difficult to identify star patterns because parts of the teapot may be obscured by distant clouds and horizon murkiness.

Plan to observe well outside any urban areas. Find a place where the south-eastern horizon is clear. When Sagittarius has fully risen, the comet will be coming up below and to the left of the teapot. With binoculars, begin to sweep the horizon in that direction looking for any stars that might give you clues to the position of the comet.

Will you see it? I cannot say. On March 20, at the beginning of astronomical twilight — that is when you will see the first light of dawn— Comet Halley is sitting right on the horizon. During the next half hour, the comet will move up high enough to be seen. At the same time the sky will be getting brighter. You need to be able to make your observation before the dawn becomes so bright that it washes out the comet. The farther south you go, the better your chances of seeing the comet. By the end of March, Comet Halley is much too far South to be seen here.

This is also the time that it attains its greatest glory, with a tail that might be 20 degrees long. If the tail is bright enough and the atmosphere clear enough, the tail would be seen extending up from our southern horizon. Although the tail will be there, it will be so faint that I doubt anyone in Manitoba will be able to perceive it.

Those who want to see the comet at its best will make a trip. The desert regions of the American southwest, locations with very clear skies, might be a reasonable destination, although even here the comet will be very low. The best place on Earth will be the area of Australia’s Outback near Alice Springs. The Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature has a trip for its members to Ayers rock, a dramatic location near Alice Springs. In spite of the high cost of such a trip, the 33 spaces on the tour were booked within three weeks, and there is a waiting list.

The Planetarium staff responds to several requests every week from people who want to travel to see the comet. The general advice is: go as far south as possible — not Antarctica — and find a place that has a high altitude and a dry climate. The time to be there is the last week in March and the first two weeks in April.

On April 11, Comet Halley reaches its closest approach to Earth. Some of us have been anticipating the return of this comet for decades and this date is seen as the climax.

Brilliance

In the last two weeks of April, everyone’s view of the comet will be hindered by the moon’s brilliance. During this time, it will be moving northward again, and back into view from Manitoba.

After the Earth and Comet Halley passed in April, they will be going away from each other as fast as two planetary bodies in this part of the solar system can move. That means that the comet is dwindling rapidly. If the comet continues to perform as well as it did just before it disappeared to go around the Sun, it should be an easy object to observe with binoculars in the first week in May. There is a possibility that we will hold a Comet Halley Skywatch at that time. If you have a telescope, and would like to volunteer for this event, please leave your name with the planetarium secretary.

People who have telescopes and are familiar with the sky are expected to see the comet in March, even from southern Manitoba.

Pictures of the comet, or any astronomical phenomenon, seldom convey the emotional aspects of the event. Remember the 1979 eclipse? Many people took pictures, hoping that the magic of the moment would be captured. What they have are images of a black spot with a glow around it. Others who did not experience the eclipse look at the spot and wonder why anyone makes such a fuss.

Generations moved

The observers of Comet Halley will join the generations of people who have been moved by its appearance. The true significance will be expressed every time we tell our children and our grandchildren what happened. The photographs of a fuzzy ball superimposed on wiggly star trails will be inadequate by comparison. It is interesting that, in this age of computerized information, sometimes we have to rely on our senses and our memory to know what really happened. If you have not seen Comet Halley, it is still possible. I recommend that you do not miss opportunities in March, April and May.

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In 1986 Robert Ballantyne was director of the Manitoba Planetarium. His weekly column in the Winnipeg Free Press, called Sky Watch, focused on the return of Comet Halley and astronomy.

© 1986 Robert Ballantyne and The Winnipeg Free Press

Added to this blog on 2023 February 20

Comet Halley spurs interest in build-it-yourself telescopes

When people ask us at the Manitoba planetarium about buying a telescope for observing Comet Halley, we give the following advice: buy the telescope only if you are going to make astronomy a hobby. The comet can be an exciting introduction to that avocation. Now the comet has vanished for a few weeks, and when it returns a telescope will be a real advantage when trying to observe it.

We are still hearing from people who are interested in acquiring a telescope. At the request of someone who called asking about which kind to buy, I checked with the museum shop to see what they have in stock. I was surprised to find that almost all of the expensive, high-end telescopes had been sold, although there were still a few of the smaller scopes available. We had thought that during Christmas people would want entry level instruments. Instead, it seems that most folks thought that if they were going to get into astronomy, they wanted something sophisticated right away. I hope this means there is a real resurgence of amateur astronomy under way.

Changes

Recently, a couple of things have happened to change some of this. First, telescope designs have come along that make it possible for someone with only basic woodworking abilities to build a fine telescope. Second, at last there is a reliable book that describes the whole process.

The book is called Build Your Own Telescope by Richard Berry. And it appeared just last year. I am delighted by the approach of this book. It assumes the builder is new to astronomy and is not necessarily a skilled craftsperson.

This appeals to me because the only reason I undertake woodworking projects is to have the end product, not just because I love working and shaping wood.

Berry is well qualified to write the book. He is editor of the popular magazine called, Astronomy; he edits the less well known publication, Telescope Making; and he had designed and built many telescopes. When a group of us decided to build Manitoba’s largest telescope, we used a modified design of his, and consulted with him about the project.

The opening chapter reviews the problems of telescopes to determine what kind of telescope project will serve the reader. This is followed by a thorough description of the optical workings of the instrument. The discussion is not shallow, Berry wants you to know exactly what happens to every ray of light as it finds its way to your eye. In most books this material is almost unreadable for the uninitiated; and the algebraic formulae might look intimidating at first glance. Berry is accustomed to writing for a general audience, and he makes the technical stuff almost interesting. He knows that, as your skills increase, you will want to know about all of the rest. It is well organized, and I expect that I will use these pages frequently as a handy reference.

Projects

One third of the book consists of five different telescope projects. Each is worthy of being built for different reasons, and one is probably the telescope that you were looking for. It is clear that Berry has built each one. He takes you step-by-step from the ordering of parts, to the final testing and using of the telescope; including a description of the most economical method of cutting the sheets of plywood, plenty of diagrams, and pictures of crucial elements of the process. The designs are novel, modern, and very clever. Each has been thoroughly tested.

Nothing in the book requires the use of a machine shop, so some compromises had to be made. One attractive feature of telescopes can be a clockwork mechanism that drives the telescope to follow the sky as the earth turns. This requires metal gears and clutches that are beyond the capabilities of most home shops, and so is not included for any of the projects.

Constructing a telescope will allow you to develop an understanding of the nature of telescopes that the person who buys one from a store can never have. More importantly, it will save some money. In recent years it has become possible to purchase the optics at about the same price as grinding your own lenses. When asked, our advice has been: build the mount and the tube, but buy the optics. While this is good economic reasoning, the wonderful sense of how the optics really work is lost to the telescope maker.

I always have thought that grinding a mirror is a wonderful thing to do. With a couple of pieces of glass, some grit and water, a piece of test equipment that you can easily build, it is possible to figure the curved surface of the lens so that the tolerance of error is less than a fraction of one wavelength of light. And do it all with your own hands. It is something that I want to do someday. In his lucid manner, Berry takes the reader through every step of this process.

At the back of the book is a fairly complete list of suppliers of materials, books, and equipment. Berry’s notes on each are candid, and most useful.

If you do more than dream of building a telescope, you will enjoy the book. I know that I will refer to it often.

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In Manitoba, quite a few people have been able to see Comet Halley. Because of the faintness, these folks have had to learn some astronomy, and put up with some discomfort on cold windy evenings.

Certificate
We feel that they should have something to show for their trouble. As part of an effort to raise money toward the purchase of a telescope for the Planetarium, we have produced a certificate for observers of the comet. Applications for the certificate are available at the Planetarium, the cost is $10. Each certificate is personalized, and each is to be signed by the Planetarium director.

The money will be put to good use at the Planetarium, and we hope the certificate will be a memento of this once in a lifetime experience for you and your children’s children. It might even encourage some people to build a telescope in time for the April–May reappearance of Comet Halley.

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In 1986 Robert Ballantyne was director of the Manitoba Planetarium. His weekly column in the Winnipeg Free Press, called Sky Watch, focused on the return of Comet Halley and astronomy.

© 1986 Robert Ballantyne and The Winnipeg Free Press

Added to this blog on 2023 February 20

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Halley linked to sky disputes

Comet discovery overshadows other significant achievements

When the caller on a local open line radio show asked the expert guest (me), “can you tell us something about who this fellow Halley was?”, I could only talk about the Comet connection. Also, I did what you’re supposed to do when you don’t know the answer, I said that I did not know much about that.

I admit it, I do not find biographies of other people very interesting. It seems that many people do, and several kind folks have called me to fill me in on the life of Edmund Halley. So, for everyone who wants to know more about the man whose name pops into our minds every time we think of comets, here is some of the most interesting stuff I could find.

Neat time

Halley lived from 1656 to 1742. Well, so far that’s pretty dull news. Actually it was a really neat time to be around if you’re interested in astronomy, especially if you lived in England. Halley was a colleague of Isaac Newton, who ranks with Einstein, Galileo, Planck, and a few others in developing the most significant concepts of how our universe works.

Almost all biographers point out that Halley’s many accomplishments are overshadowed by the single discovery that the comet he saw in 1682 was the same one that appeared in 1531 and 1607. It returned in 1758, as he predicted, and it has been called Halley’s comet ever since.

Two things about his life seem to be particularly interesting. First he was very enterprising, and this resulted in several successful exploits. Second, he was involved in some of the most famous disputes and astronomical history.

Halley seems to have a flair for doing things dramatically. In 1676, before he had a chance to gain his bachelor’s degree, he decided his astronomical career was not advancing quickly enough. He convinced John Flammsteed, the Astronomer Royal and founder of the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, that there was a real need for a catalogue of the stars that can be observed only from the southern hemisphere, and that he was the person to do it. In addition he was able to obtain a letter from the King recommending that the East India Company provide him with a free round-trip to the island of St Helena. His wealthy dad gave him an allowance of £200 a year.

Two years later he was back in England, and soon published his catalogue. It made him immediately famous. The king commanded Oxford University to award him a master of arts degree, and the Royal Society elected at him a fellow. This was a class act.

When his father was murdered in 1684, things became tough for this privileged young astronomer. He was short of cash, and he was involved in litigation with his stepmother. In spite of the small annual salary of £30, he took the job of clerk of the Royal Society. In order to do this, he was required to resign his fellowship. This society sounds wonderful, but it was not well managed. They had chronic problems collecting membership fees, and they had just paid the bills to publish a book on the natural history of fish. Would you want to buy the book? No one else did. There was so little money left from that adventure that Edmund Halley had to accept copies of the book in lieu of part of his salary.

Halley was involved in several major disputes, all of which made astronomical history (or made it more interesting). Robert Hooke and Johannes Havelius were debating whether it was better to use telescopes for measuring stellar positions. Anyone can see that this is pretty exciting stuff. Anyhow, the Royal Society felt that the discussion was becoming so filled with acrimony that they dispatched Halley to spend some time observing with Havelius, and at the same time, find a way to smooth things over. The visit went well, but some years later we hear of Havelius claiming that Halley was sent to spy on his work. Imagine.

Isaac Newton’s great book the Principia, was edited by Halley. The Royal Society still had a large inventory of History of Fishes, and could not afford to publish Principia. Halley decided to finance the project himself. It seems that three people independently came to the same idea that is expressed in the book, the law of universal gravitation — Isaac Newton, Edmond Halley, and Robert Hooke. When Hooke complained that he was not being recognized as the author of the idea, Newton decided not to proceed with writing. It was largely due to Halley’s efforts that these problems were sorted out and the book was finally finished and printed.

All of this makes Halley sound like a busy, but boring, academic. I was pleased to find the references said that he drank brandy like a sea captain, and swore like one. In 1698 he moved to London. Among his friends there was young Czar Peter of Russia (later to be called Peter the Great). One uninspired account said they often dined and discussed scientific matters long into the night. Another story has Pete in a wheelbarrow and Ed at the helm three sheets in the wind. It seems that the party wound through Deptford leaving a swath of broken hedges. Neither account is well documented.

Significant

In addition to his interest in comets, and his work with Newton on Principia, he made a number of significant contributions to astronomy and related disciplines. He described the universe that was infinite in extent, and suggested that some of a hazy patches in the sky were clouds of glowing gas. He also said that the so-called fixed stars actually were moving in space. Those were revolutionary ideas in those days.

For two years he was at sea plotting the variations of the magnetic field of the earth and producing a chart of the Atlantic Ocean. Not too surprisingly, he was able to talk the Admiralty into granting him the rank of captain, and giving him a ship. The job should have taken one year but things were delayed in the first year by a mutiny led by his first officer. After the court-martial, the second year was relatively uneventful.

His published works range from navigation, oceanography and under-sea diving, to astronomy, optics, archeology and statistical analysis. It is often suggested that if it were not for the comet, Halley would be as well remembered for his many other achievements. I am sure that he would be pleased that we hear his name and wonder about him every 75 years.

First published in the Winnipeg Free Press on Saturday, January 4, 1986, page 27.

In 1986 Robert Ballantyne was director of the Manitoba Planetarium. His weekly column in the Winnipeg Free Press, called Sky Watch, focused on the return of Comet Halley.

© 1985 Robert Ballantyne and The Winnipeg Free Press