Did a medieval flying monk spot Halley’s comet, twice? It’s complicated

University of Leicester historian thinks Eilmer of Malmesbury saw two different comets: in 1018 and 1066

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[Whiner42]

Judging from the stained-glass depiction, his contraption looks a bit like a hang glider, where he probably grasped a frame the wings were solidly attached to. Not a terrible design: at least it didn't kill him. The 4:1 glide ratio sucks by any modern standard; with a minimum of airflow-catching fabric, a skydiver's wing-suit tops out about 3:1, with 2:1 or 2.5:1 being more common.