Comets: Creators and Destroyers

A foremost expert on comets presents an accessible guide to the history of this fascinating subject--as well as stunning speculations on how their possible future may change life on Earth forever. 40 photos. Line drawings.

Comet

Twelve years after its first publication in tandem with the appearance of Halley's comet, this classic work by the author of Cosmos returns to coincide with the appearance of comet Hale-Bopp--currently anticipated to be fifty times brighter than Halley's or Kahoutek. 110 illustrations, 16 pp. in color. 496 pp.

Impact!: The Threat of Comets and Asteroids

Noted radio astronomer and author Gerrit L. Verschuur paints an unsettling portrait of the possibility of collisions between the earth and comets and asteroids in space. Verschuur explores potential threats to our planet and describes what scientists are doing to prepare for the frightening possibility. 40 photos. 3 line drawings. 256 pp.

Rogue Asteroids & Doomsday Comets: The Search for the Million Megaton Menace That Threatens Life on Earth

The most authoritative, up-to-date and comprehensive book about the provocative predictions that an asteroid or comet might hit the Earth and destroy life as we know it. Presents the hard scientific facts behind the extensive sci-fi literature and press coverage. Provides a reliable assessment of the risks and explains exactly what the chances are that a disasterous impact will occur in our lifetime. Discusses the fascinating history of the destruction caused by asteroid and comet impacts on the Earth as well as the widely reported theory that a comet may have been responsible for life on our planet. Describes and assesses alternative plans for detecting and diverting an incoming asteroid or comet.

The Quest for Comets: An Explosive Trail of Beauty and Danger

One of the world's foremost amateur astronomers, David Levy co-discovered the periodic comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, which is destined to hit Jupiter this year. Here he describes in dramatic detail the thrilling yet often devastating effects of comet collisions, presents evidence for past collisions, and makes predictions for future clashes. 19 illustrations.

Comets : A Chronological History of Observation, Science, Myth, and Folklore

The diminutive size of cometary bodies is in no way proportional to their scientific importance. Theorists suggest that comets played a major role in the development of the Earth and subsequent collosions of comets may have wiped out various life forms, allowing only the most adaptable to develop further. In short, the study of comets is important from a historical perspective, scientifically compelling and, at the same time, entertaining. In this authoritative book, the development of cometary ideas is traced from antiquity through the actual fly-by of Halley by international spacecraft in 1986. The focus is on the cometary theories that were evident in each era. Included are many colorful anecdotes and information about culture and important personalities throughout history. Also contains an exhaustive catalog of all comet apparitions through the year 1700.

Discovering Comets & Meteors (Isaac Asimov's New Library of the Universe)

Format: Trade Cloth Discusses the characteristics of comets and meteors and cites both famous appearances and unexplained mysteries connected with them.