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Credit:
Explanation:
Sir Edmond Halley was quite a discoverer. Born in 1656, he computed
in
1705 that a bright comet was periodic and would make another appearance in
1758. The comet appeared as predicted and is now known as
Comet Halley.
Unfortunately, Halley died in 1742 and never saw his prediction come true.
In 1716
Halley proposed two types of diving bells that would enable people
to explore the deep sea.
Halley pioneered our understanding of trade winds,
tides, cartography, naval navigation, mortality tables, and stellar proper
motions.
Halley (incorrectly)
proposed that the Earth was made of
concentric spheres the size of the inner planets each of which might
contain life. Perhaps Halley's greatest discovery, however, was that his
contemporary
Isaac Newton
had discovered a powerful mathematical formulation of gravity.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day