description Edmund Halley Overview
Edmond Halley (1656–1742) was an English astronomer, mathematician, and geophysicist who served as the second Astronomer Royal from 1720 until his death. In 1705 he published A Synopsis of the Astronomy of Comets, in which he calculated the orbits of two dozen comets and predicted that sightings in 1531, 1607, and 1682 were the same body returning approximately every 76 years. His prediction of its 1758 return was confirmed posthumously, and the comet was subsequently named in his honor. Halley also catalogued southern-hemisphere stars during an expedition to St.
Helena.
help Edmund Halley FAQ
How did Edmond Halley accurately predict the return of his famous comet?
Halley used Isaac Newton's laws of motion to calculate the orbit of several historical comets. He successfully predicted that the comet observed in 1682 would return in 1758, though he died before witnessing the event.
Did Edmond Halley actually discover Halley's Comet?
No, Halley did not discover the comet, as it had been recorded by astronomers since ancient times. He was the first to realize that multiple historical sightings were of the exact same object returning cyclically.
What other major scientific contributions did Edmond Halley make?
Halley published the first chart of the Earth's magnetic field variations and invented a primitive diving bell. He was also appointed the second Astronomer Royal of Great Britain in 1720.
How was Edmond Halley involved with Isaac Newton's Principia Mathematica?
Halley famously encouraged a hesitant Newton to write his Principia Mathematica and even paid for its publication out of his own pocket in 1687. Without Halley's financial and editorial support, Newton's masterwork might never have been published.
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