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VIEW FROM MARS HILL

View from Mars Hill: A look at the Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower

Perhaps the best known of all comets is Halley, correctly pronounced so that it rhymes with rally, not daily. It is named after the 17th-18th century astronomer Edmond Halley. This familiar “dirty ice ball,� as comets are nicknamed, is not only popular but also dependable, making its journey through the inner solar system every 76 years. Its last visit was in 1985/1986, and it will not return until 2061 � a considerable wait for eager observers. However, there is another way to witness its presence indirectly: through meteor showers.

Whenever Halley approaches the sun, it warms up and releases gases and dust. Over time, the sand-sized particles spread throughout the comet’s orbit. The orbit of the comet happens to intersect Earth's orbit, so when Earth passes through the intersection region, some of these particles hit Earth's atmosphere and burn up. We see this as a meteor shower.





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