Giotto's Encounter with Halley 25 Years Ago

david entwistle · Post by **david entwistle** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 10:22 am

I remember being glued to the TV watching James Burke report on the Giotto flyby of comet Halley on an evening in March 1986. ESA have set up a web page for the 25th Anniversary of the fly-by complete with a documentary video.

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Rosetta/SEMMA0YTVKG_0.html

PaulB · Post by **PaulB** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 9:01 pm

Thank you for sharing this David.

I well remember looking at Halley through a 60mm f12 refractor in the winter of 86 when Halley was very close to the Pleiades.

And I remember watching the live coverage on BBC2

There hasn't been a flotilla of space craft launched to encounter a comet since Halley?

This is quite remarkable, and I don't think we will ever see the like again.

And it is also very interesting when we realise, just how time's have changed.

How many comets, and asteroids have we encountered now?

Thanks again.

Ender Of Days · Post by **Ender Of Days** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 11:48 pm

I too remember watching the BBC and like every one else not understanding the false colour images of Halley,
I also remember the 2nd flyby that Giotto did on "the other Comet" (I tried several times to spell it

)

Giotto was indeed a European triumph,

JJ..

scarlet · Post by **scarlet** » Tue Mar 15, 2011 5:19 pm

thanks for the link - was nice to remember that

Unfortunately am old enough to remember watching & going outside to see the comet