Biela's Comet or Comet Biela (official designation: 3D/Biela) was a periodic Jupiter-family comet first recorded in 1772 by Montaigne and Messier and finally identified as periodic in 1826 by Wilhelm von Biela. It was subsequently observed to split in two and has not been seen since 1852. As a result it is currently considered to have been destroyed, although remnants appeared to have survived for some time as a meteor shower.
Read more about Biela's Comet: Discovery, Confirmation As Periodic, Disintegration, Possible Observations and Searches, Meteoric Impacts, Importance in Scientific History of Luminiferous Aether
Famous quotes containing the word comet:
“Ah, like a comet through flame she moves entranced
Wrapt in her music no bird song, no, nor bough
Breaking with honey buds, shall ever equal.”
—Stephen Spender (1909–1995)