Do comets return to Earth or only pass by once?  Well, one thing that will help answer this question is knowing if a comet circles around our Solar System, or just passes by in a straight path. The scientist Edmond Halley discovered that the comets of 1531, 1607, and 1682 were all the same comet (guess what it was named!) which was revolving around our Sun every 76 years.

Once people realized comets behaved in a regular way like the planets, they seemed much less frightening. This 1680 painting of a beautiful comet with a long, golden tale, reflects a more positive interest people began to have about comets. This comet was so bright it could be seen in the daytime, not just at night.

Rotterdam, Atlas van Stolk