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Health & Science5h 18m ago
James Aitcheson of the University of Leicester argues that medieval monk Eilmer of Malmesbury likely saw the comet of 1018, not an earlier pass of Halley's Comet in 989, thereby challenging recent speculation about Eilmer's understanding of comet periodicity.
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Malmesbury, England
Who
Eilmer of Malmesbury, William of Malmesbury, James Aitcheson, Edmund Halley
What
James Aitcheson of the University of Leicester argues that medieval monk Eilmer of Malmesbury likely saw the comet of 1018, not an earlier pass of Halley's Comet in 989, thereby challenging recent speculation about Eilmer's understanding of comet periodicity.
When
Sun, 14 Jun 2026 16:02:53 GMT · 5h 18m ago
Where
Malmesbury, England ·
Why
Aitcheson's research in 'Notes and Queries' suggests Eilmer's flight and comet sightings, specifically the 1018 comet, mean Eilmer was born later and did not recognize Halley's Comet's periodicity.
The Frontline Impact
How this affects you
This reinterpretation challenges the historical understanding of astronomical knowledge in the Early Middle Ages and the attribution of early insights into comet periodicity, suggesting that such advanced understanding might have developed later than previously speculated.
Story chain
8 events in this thread- Currently Reading5h 18m agoJames Aitcheson of the University of Leicester argues that medieval monk Eilmer of Malmesbury likely saw the comet of 1018, not an earlier pass of Halley's Comet in 989, thereby challenging recent speculation about Eilmer's understanding of comet periodicity.
- Health & Science5h 18m agoJames Aitcheson of the University of Leicester suggests that Eilmer of Malmesbury may have seen a different comet in 1018, rather than an earlier fly-by of Halley's Comet.Open article
- Health & Science5h 18m agoUniversity of Leicester historian James Aitcheson argues that the Benedictine monk Eilmer of Malmesbury likely saw two different comets, rather than Halley's Comet twice, challenging previous assumptions.Open article
- Health & Science5h 18m agoA historian from the University of Leicester suggests that Eilmer of Malmesbury, a Benedictine monk, may have seen two different comets in his lifetime, rather than Halley's Comet twice.Open article
- Health & Science5h 18m agoJames Aitcheson of the University of Leicester argues that Eilmer of Malmesbury may have seen a different comet altogether in his youth—the comet of 1018, not Halley's Comet in 989.Open article
- Health & Science5h 18m agoUniversity of Leicester historian James Aitcheson suggests that Eilmer of Malmesbury, a monk known for an early flight attempt, likely saw two different comets in his lifetime rather than two appearances of Halley's Comet.Open article
- Health & Science5h 18m agoUniversity of Leicester historian James Aitcheson suggests that the medieval monk Eilmer of Malmesbury may have seen two different comets, rather than Halley's Comet twice, challenging recent speculation.Open article
- Health & Science5h 18m agoHistorian James Aitcheson argues in a new paper that the medieval monk Eilmer of Malmesbury likely saw two different comets in his lifetime, rather than two appearances of Halley's Comet.Open article