Cometography
Cometography
£186.00
GBPCometography is a catalog of every comet observed throughout history. It is the most complete and comprehensive collection of data on comets available. Cometography comes in four sequential volumes and this, the first, covers ancient times through to the end of the eighteenth century. Cometography uses the most reliable orbits known to determine all the key parameters of each well observed comet. Cometography also provides non-technical details to help the reader understand how the comet may have influenced various cultures at the time of its appearance. All the information in Cometography has been sourced directly from the original documents, including European monastic histories, Roman, Greek and Muslim texts, Chinese, Japanese and Korean scripts. In many cases, dates of important historical events can be corrected based on the appearance of a comet. In this way, Cometography will be valuable to historians of science as well as providing amateur and professional astronomers with a definitive reference on comets through the ages.
- The most comprehensive and complete catalogue of comets available
- The correct identification of comets in history is often used to correct the dates of important historical events, hence this book will also be invaluable to historians of science
- By the author of the well-known, Comets: A Descriptive Catalog (Enslow Publishers; pub 1984, sold 7000, now OP) and Meteor Showers (Enslow Publishers; pub 1988, sold 5000, now OP)
- Volume 2 due for publication c. September 2000; Volume 3 publication c. June 2001; Volume 4 publication c. January 2002
Reviews & endorsements
' … an indispensible references for historians, comet researchers, and true enthusiasts of the field … the book's value is inestimable and I can only give [it] my highest praise.' John E. Bortle, Sky and Telescope
' … the first of a series of four, which will provide complete descriptions of every comet that has ever been seen and recorded … The first volume, which covers comets up to 1799, is a treasure trove of information and each entry stands on its own.' The Journal of the British Astronomical Association
'Cometography has been beautifully produced, and it is a thorough, definitive, well referenced, comprehensive, and easily accessible work of scholarship. For historians, scientific or otherwise, this will be a 'first stop' for information about ancient comets. Looking into the future, it will be a rare month that I will not refer to it, and I am looking forward with eager anticipation to the next three volumes.' David W. Hughes, The Observatory
' … a very impressive work … anyone who is engaged in research concerning past apparitions of known comets will find the amount of detailed information in the book extremely useful and potentially significant.' Popular Astronomy
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Product details
January 2000Hardback
9780521585040
580 pages
263 × 189 × 37 mm
1.22kg
185 tables
Available
Related links
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Catalogue of comets
- Appendix I. Uncertain objects
- Appendix II. Periodical abbreviations
- Appendix III. Source abbreviations.
