Robert C. Victor’s viewing guide for Comet Halley in 2061
Comet Halley in Morning Sky, June-July 2061
June 20: Halley, 1 a.u. from Sun, near mag. 4, 7° up in ENE, just above the Pleiades.
July 4: Halley near mag. 3, 17° up in ENE, 6° left of Pleiades.
July 11: Comet Halley, mag. 2, approaching Earth at 3.6 million miles per day.
July 14: Comet Halley in gathering with old crescent Moon and Saturn.
July 16: Comet Halley at mag. 1 and highest in morning, 23° up, 30° N of E.
July 20: Comet still 21° up, within 7° lower right of Capella.
July 24: Comet, now near mag. zero, 15° up in NE, or 30° directly above Sun, gas tail pointing straight up, dust tail curving to right.
July 28: Halley last rises in dark sky, mag. between 0 and –1. Rises in twilight next two mornings. Passes perihelion later on July 28, 0.593 a.u.* (55 million miles) from Sun.
July 29: Comet Halley passes closest to Earth, at a distance of 0.477 a.u.* (44 million miles).
Comet Halley in Evening Sky, July-August 2061
July 24 or 25: Comet Halley begins to be seen in evening twilight very low in NNW. First sets in dark sky on July 27.
July 29: Comet, near mag. –0.3, about 5° up in NW in deep twilight. Earlier on same date, comet passed closest to Earth (distance 0.477 a.u.* or 44 million miles).
July 30: Comet 6° up in NW and 21° directly above Sun. Gas tail vertical and dust tail curving to right.
August 1: Comet near mag. zero, 30° N of W, 8° up, and 25° upper right of Venus.
August 3: Comet 9° up in WNW and 18° upper right of Venus.
August 5: Comet highest, 10° up, 15° N of W, and 13° upper right of Venus.
August 7: Comet some 10° up, 18° N of W, 10° upper right of Venus, and 1.5° below Beta Leonis.
August 11: Comet near mag. 1, nearly due west, 9° up and 7° upper right of Venus.
August 16: Comet Halley, faded to mag. 2, is receding from Earth by 3.5 million miles per day.
August 18: Comet in compact gathering with young crescent Moon and Venus.
August 19: Comet passes 0.054 a.u.* (5 million miles) from Venus overnight.
August 23: Comet near mag. 3, just 3° up, 7 degrees S of W, and about 1° (min. apparent dist.) upper right of Venus.
Aug. 27: Comet crosses ecliptic, descending through Earth’s orbital plane, 38° E of Sun.
Aug. 30: Comet, near mag. 4, sets 8° S of W in deep twilight.
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