(NEXSTAR) — Skywatcher or not, you’ve likely heard of Halley’s comet. As popular as it is, however, seeing it may be a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence for some.

The comet, often referred to as just Halley, is believed to have been traveling through the night sky every so often for more than 2,000 years, according to NASA.

Comets — objects usually made up of ice, dust, and gases — orbit the sun. NASA says there may be billions of comets within our solar system, coming from either the Kuiper Belt or the Oort Cloud.

The Kuiper Belt is found beyond Neptune’s orbit and includes the beloved dwarf planet Pluto. The Oort Cloud, meanwhile, is hundreds of billions of miles away from our outermost planet, the European Space Agency explains.

Most, but not all, comets are considered periodic, flying

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