Avoid the end of the world: Halley’s Comet arrived 112 years ago this week

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Thinking about everything that humanity does not yet know about the universe can be annoying. But at the same time, it’s worth remembering that we are light-years ahead of what our great-grandparents understood about this vast frontier. Look back at what happened when Halley’s Comet returned to Earth in 1910.

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Back in time, this comet may have been seen by astronomers in 240 BC, but astronomers (named Halley) see the same comet return every 75 years. It took until the 1700s to understand. Year. Over the centuries, people have responded differently to comets, but it was the return of 1910 that actually upset some.

That year, people began to see Comet in April, and this week (May 19), 112 years ago, the Earth actually passed through Halley’s Comet’s tail. For some, panic began to spread as the comet approached. They were worried that toxic gas from comets would end life on Earth. Some were worried about the collision between the comet and the Earth. Some thought it was a trick, created as a cover for invading aliens. The result is a number of quirky tonics, devices and survival strategies created to protect people from comets. Protective umbrellas and anti-comet pills were just two of the publicly available products. However, some people felt that the comet’s idea was exciting and even hosted parties around the comet’s arrival.

This is a 1910 archived newspaper article about comets.

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