Pull the JPL Small-Body Database export on a daily or weekly schedule, depending on how time-sensitive the comet section is. SleekRank's cache refresh stamps every affected URL on the next render. For objects in active observation, a 6-hour cache keeps the page within one orbit fit of the upstream database. For dormant periodic comets, 24 hours is plenty.

One URL per comet works for most objects because periodic returns share a designation. A list mapping over the apparition_history field renders the multi-return table on the same page. For named comets that gather their own search demand per apparition (like NEOWISE or Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), the slug carries the year-designation pair so each return has a stable URL.

The period_years field accepts a sentinel value like Hyperbolic for non-returning objects. A selector mapping checks the cell value and either renders the period or substitutes a 'one-time apparition' badge. The same column drives the category filter, so visitors can browse only periodic comets or only one-shot apparitions.

Yes. Pre-render a chart for each comet's apparition window with any planetarium tool that exports PNG or SVG, name the file by slug, and store it in the theme's media library or on a CDN. A meta mapping for og:image and a selector mapping for the inline image element handle the rest. Updates ship as filename overwrites.

Article or Event works well. Use Event with startDate and endDate set from the visibility window for upcoming comets, and Article for historical write-ups. A meta mapping pushes the chosen JSON-LD block into the page head, picking the schema type based on a category column.

Add a meteor_shower_slugs column listing every related shower for the comet's debris trail. A list mapping renders a card grid at the bottom of the page linking to /meteor-showers/{slug}/. Pages on the shower side run the inverse mapping for symmetry. Both ends update on the next refresh when the column changes.

Yes. Add a status column with values like active, lost, or destroyed. A selector mapping bubbles the status up to a banner on the page so visitors land on accurate context. Sitemap inclusion stays on so historical traffic continues to find the page; the badge handles the freshness question.

Yes, as long as the discovery has a JPL designation. New objects from surveys like Pan-STARRS, ATLAS, and the Mount Lemmon Sky Survey land in the database within days of confirmation, and the next sync picks them up. The base page renders identically whether the comet is famous or freshly discovered.