Comet of the Century: From Halley to Hale-Bopp

by Fred Schaaf, G. Ottewell (Illustrator)

The present century has been a disappointing one for comets, but past centuries often featured spectacular, unforgettable comet shows that dominated the night (and even daytime) sky for comets that outshone Venus or even the Moon, whose spectacular tails stretched more than halfway across the sky or were weirdly split, and whose apparition was held responsible for everything from wars to unusually good wine vintages. Published to coincide with the first naked-eye appearance of Comet Hale-Bopp, perhaps our own comet of the century, this book is an irresistible guide to comet facts and lore throughout history.

384 pages, Hardcover

First published November 26, 1996

Reviews

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great history book on Comets. Writing style is engaging, though there are portions that are essentially encyclopedia-like info dumps about specific comets. The last 75 pages about Hale Bopp and Hyakutake were the most enjoyable.

Recommended reading if you’re interested in comets like I am.