<P> Halley 's orbital period has varied between 74 -- 79 years since 240 BC . Its orbit around the Sun is highly elliptical , with an orbital eccentricity of 0.967 ( with 0 being a circle and 1 being a parabolic trajectory ) . The perihelion , the point in the comet 's orbit when it is nearest the Sun , is just 0.6 AU . This is between the orbits of Mercury and Venus . Its aphelion , or farthest distance from the Sun , is 35 AU ( roughly the distance of Pluto ) . Unusual for an object in the Solar System , Halley 's orbit is retrograde ; it orbits the Sun in the opposite direction to the planets , or , clockwise from above the Sun 's north pole . The orbit is inclined by 18 ° to the ecliptic , with much of it lying south of the ecliptic . ( Because it is retrograde , the true inclination is 162 ° ) . Due to the retrograde orbit , it has one of the highest velocities relative to the Earth of any object in the Solar System . The 1910 passage was at a relative velocity of 70.56 km / s ( 157,838 mph or 254,016 km / h ) . Because its orbit comes close to Earth 's in two places , Halley is associated with two meteor showers : the Eta Aquariids in early May , and the Orionids in late October . Halley is the parent body to the Orionids . Observations conducted around the time of Halley 's appearance in 1986 suggested that the comet could additionally perturb the Eta Aquarid meteor shower , although it might not be the parent of that shower . </P>
<P> Halley 's orbital period has varied between 74 -- 79 years since 240 BC . Its orbit around the Sun is highly elliptical , with an orbital eccentricity of 0.967 ( with 0 being a circle and 1 being a parabolic trajectory ) . The perihelion , the point in the comet 's orbit when it is nearest the Sun , is just 0.6 AU . This is between the orbits of Mercury and Venus . Its aphelion , or farthest distance from the Sun , is 35 AU ( roughly the distance of Pluto ) . Unusual for an object in the Solar System , Halley 's orbit is retrograde ; it orbits the Sun in the opposite direction to the planets , or , clockwise from above the Sun 's north pole . The orbit is inclined by 18 ° to the ecliptic , with much of it lying south of the ecliptic . ( Because it is retrograde , the true inclination is 162 ° ) . Due to the retrograde orbit , it has one of the highest velocities relative to the Earth of any object in the Solar System . The 1910 passage was at a relative velocity of 70.56 km / s ( 157,838 mph or 254,016 km / h ) . Because its orbit comes close to Earth 's in two places , Halley is associated with two meteor showers : the Eta Aquariids in early May , and the Orionids in late October . Halley is the parent body to the Orionids . Observations conducted around the time of Halley 's appearance in 1986 suggested that the comet could additionally perturb the Eta Aquarid meteor shower , although it might not be the parent of that shower . </P>
what is the furthest distance that halleys comet travels from the sun
what is the furthest distance that halleys comet travels from the sun
35 AU
35 AU