Spectacular and mysterious objects that come and go in the
night sky, comets have dwelt in our popular culture for untold
ages. As remnants from the formation of the Solar System, they are
objects of key scientific research and space missions. As one of
nature's most potent and dramatic dangers, they pose a threat to
our safety - and yet they were the origin of our oceans and perhaps
even life itself. This beautifully illustrated book tells the story
of the biggest and most awe-inspiring of all comets: those that
have earned the title 'Great'. It focuses on Great Comets Hyakutake
in 1996 and Hale-Bopp in 1997, which gripped attention world-wide
because, for many, they were the first comets ever seen. For
everyone interested in astronomy, this exciting book reveals the
secrets of the Great Comets and provides essential tools for
keeping up-to-date with comet discoveries in the future.
All-colour guide to the two most beautiful and spectacular comets
in the last few years ? Complete guide to up-coming space missions
to comets ? Annotated resource guide, using print and Internet, for
keeping up to date with comets