Medieval monk's comet sightings raise historical questions

Across the centuries, a medieval monk left behind marginal notes describing two brilliant visitors in the night sky — accounts that may, or may not, document separate appearances of Halley's comet within a single lifetime. Historians now gather around these fragile records as they would around a dim lantern, trying to determine whether the light it casts is genuine or reflected. The debate is less about one monk's accuracy than about the enduring human effort to read the heavens with whatever tools the moment provides, and the humility required when those tools fall short.