Halley's Comet

Today is Friday, 30 March 2007.

On this date in 240 B.C.E., astronomers in China observed the perihelion of what would become known as “Halley’s Comet”.

Your author observed the comet’s last apparition in 1986, and hopes to hang on, via life support of any variety, to see its return in 2061.

Your author studied at The New School for Social Research at the time, and had seen the comet through his father-in-law’s telescope while on a visit to Tulsa. Your author told one of his teachers, with whom he was studying paleo-astronomy, how his grandmother, as a babe-in-arms in 1910, had seen the comet while nestled in her father’s arms, on a hilltop in NE Kansas. His teacher said, “Now I’ve seen the comet three times: through the eyes of Halley, through the eyes of your grandmother, and now through your eyes”.

On this date in 1853, Vincent Van Gogh was born. Cf. his great painting (Museum of Modern Art in NYC: “Starry Night”). Cf. also Don McClean’s heartbreaking song, “Vincent”.

Coincidence?

Insert my Vincent Price voice here: “I don’t think so”.