Comets
By: P. Andrew Karam
Series: Earth series; Earth series (Reaktion Books (Firm))
Published: 2017
Language: eng
Number of pages: 200
ISBN-13: 9781780238302
Copyright date: 2017
Subjects: Comets; Religious aspects; Popular works; Comets in literature
Other titles: Comets :
Description: Radiating fire and ice, comets as a phenomenon seem part science, part myth. 2000 years ago when a comet shot across the night sky, it convinced the Romans that Julius Caesar was a god. In 1066, Halley's Comet was interpreted as a foreshadowing of the death of Harold the Second in the Battle of Hastings. Even today the arrival of a comet often feels auspicious, confirming our hopes, fears and sense of wonder in the universe. P. Andrew Karam takes the reader on a far-ranging exploration of these beautiful and dramatic objects in the skies, revealing how comets and humanity have been interwoven throughout history.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 189-193) and index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction; title: The science of comets; title: Studying comets through the ages; title: Visualizing comets; title: Comets and religion; title: Comets in literature and popular culture; title: History's greatest comets; title: Bringers of life and of doom; title: Conclusion.