Halley's comet

American  

[hal-eez, hey-leez] / ˈhæl iz, ˈheɪ liz /

noun

1. a comet with a period averaging 76 years. In this century it was visible to terrestrial observers just before and after reaching perihelion in 1910 and again in 1986.

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Halley's Comet British  

/ ˈhælɪz /

noun

1. a comet revolving around the sun in a period of about 76 years, last seen in 1985–86

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Halley's comet Scientific  

/ hăl′ēz,hā′lēz /

1. A short-period comet that orbits the Sun once every 76 years. It is visible to the unaided eye and last appeared in 1986, when close observation by spacecraft showed that its nucleus measures about 16 km (10 mi) by 8 km (5 mi) and is composed of water ice, stony minerals, and organic compounds. Its next appearance will be in the year 2061.

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Pronunciation

The common pronunciation for both the comet and the astronomer after whom it is named is . This is the pronunciation usually recommended by astronomers. However, several variant spellings of the name, including Hailey, Haley, and Hawley, were used interchangeably during the astronomer's own time, a period when spellings even of proper names were not yet fixed, and corresponding pronunciations have survived. The pronunciation in particular remains associated with Halley's comet ; it is less likely to be heard as a pronunciation of Edmund Halley .

Etymology

Origin of Halley's comet

Named after Edmund Halley, who first predicted its return

Example Sentences

Now, the NFL’s answer to Halley’s comet is tearing across the sky again.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 13, 2026

When King Charles III is crowned on Saturday, he will undergo a ritual so rare in modern British history that it last occurred 70 years ago, roughly the wait between sightings of Halley’s comet.

From New York Times • Apr. 30, 2023

Jackson’s host allows announcer Don Pardo to pose questions to contestants such as, “When is the next reappearance of Halley’s comet scheduled?” only to cut them off before they answer.

From Salon • Oct. 7, 2019

The New York Times has hailed it a "cinematic Halley's comet", one carrying a whole community's hopes for greater representation in mainstream US culture.

From BBC • Aug. 17, 2018

First she dragged George to the first class library so she could check out a book on Halley's comet.

From "I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912" by Lauren Tarshis