<P> Halley 's 1986 apparition was the least favourable on record . The comet and Earth were on opposite sides of the Sun in February 1986 , creating the worst viewing circumstances for Earth observers for the last 2,000 years . Halley 's closest approach was 0.42 AU . Additionally , with increased light pollution from urbanization , many people failed to even see the comet . It was possible to observe it in areas outside of cities with the help of binoculars . Further , the comet appeared brightest when it was almost invisible from the northern hemisphere in March and April . Halley 's approach was first detected by astronomers David Jewitt and G. Edward Danielson on 16 October 1982 using the 5.1 m Hale telescope at Mount Palomar and a CCD camera . The first person to visually observe the comet on its 1986 return was amateur astronomer Stephen James O'Meara on 24 January 1985 . O'Meara used a home - built 24 - inch telescope on top of Mauna Kea to detect the magnitude 19.6 comet . On 8 November 1985 , Stephen Edberg ( then serving as the Coordinator for Amateur Observations at NASA 's Jet Propulsion Laboratory ) and Charles Morris were the first to observe Halley 's Comet with the naked eye in its 1986 apparition . </P>
<P> Halley 's 1986 apparition was the least favourable on record . The comet and Earth were on opposite sides of the Sun in February 1986 , creating the worst viewing circumstances for Earth observers for the last 2,000 years . Halley 's closest approach was 0.42 AU . Additionally , with increased light pollution from urbanization , many people failed to even see the comet . It was possible to observe it in areas outside of cities with the help of binoculars . Further , the comet appeared brightest when it was almost invisible from the northern hemisphere in March and April . Halley 's approach was first detected by astronomers David Jewitt and G. Edward Danielson on 16 October 1982 using the 5.1 m Hale telescope at Mount Palomar and a CCD camera . The first person to visually observe the comet on its 1986 return was amateur astronomer Stephen James O'Meara on 24 January 1985 . O'Meara used a home - built 24 - inch telescope on top of Mauna Kea to detect the magnitude 19.6 comet . On 8 November 1985 , Stephen Edberg ( then serving as the Coordinator for Amateur Observations at NASA 's Jet Propulsion Laboratory ) and Charles Morris were the first to observe Halley 's Comet with the naked eye in its 1986 apparition . </P>
when was the last time halleys comet came
when was the last time halleys comet came
1986
1986