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Whether they appear as distant specks in an astronomer's telescope or shoot brilliantly across the evening sky, comets, meteors, and asteroids have fascinated sky gazers throughout history. But where do these racing celestial bodies come from, and what can they teach us about our universe? Join Seymour Simon for a look at the fiery mystery and wild wonder of these luminous bodies of night.

Customer Reviews (2)

Great kids book on Comets,Metors and Asteroids. ONLY


The book does explain the basic difference between comets, asteroids and meteors. Also the basic different classes of meteor composition are discussed. There are some good pictures of a few comets and an explanation of the comets head and tail and their revolution around the sun. Deep space comets and nearer spaced comets are discussed. A nice picture of the 4,150 foot wide impact crater near Winslow Arizona is shown.

This is a very good book for kids 5-8 years old to read and parents to read and show pictures to the little ones. 5 stars as a kids book to get them to read more and increase their reading pleasure. Also they will learn a little about Comets, Asteroids and Meteors too. It was written as a kids book.

Helpful for lying on your back on a warm summer's night!
We're giving this book as a gift after having enjoyed it with our own family. We're amateur "stargazers", and our young friends enjoyed having this book as reference during visits with us. It's difficult toexplain certain terms regarding the evening skies. This book helps toclarify, and does so beautifully! ... Read more

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This book tells of the billions of wandering objects, from dust-particles to moon-sized lumps of rock, and of the random but vital roles they play in the drama of our evolving solar system.

To human beings on Earth, comets have always been objects of mystery and terror. This fear, once dismissed as superstition, is sometimes justified; comets really can bring catastrophes in their wake. Research show that comets are close relatives of both the space dust which forms meteors or shooting stars, and of the larger, inert rocks -- the asteroids -- which circle the Sun by the millions. Left over from the formation of the solar system, all of these objects have threatened Earth with massive impacts and "nuclear winters." However, they have also been part of the process by which the Solar System renews itself -- we may owe our very existence to the impact that destroyed the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

The threat of collision with the Earth has placed comets and asteroids at the top of the agenda for astronomers, the public, and, increasingly, for governments. Comets, Meteors, and Asteroids presents a fascinating and insightful exploration of these space wanderers of the cosmos. ... Read more

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Nice book!
This is a great book - My copy is soft cover - it would be better if I had purchased a hard copy verison if it was available - It is still a great book! ... Read more

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Describes the origins, characteristics, and behavior of comets, meteors, and the largest of the space rocks, asteroids. ... Read more

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Have you ever seen a shooting star? What you really saw was a meteor! A meteor is actually a chunk of metallic or stony matter - called a meteoroid - that enters the earth's atmosphere from outer space. A comet, on the other hand, is a lump of ice and dust that periodically comes into the center of the solar system from somewhere in its outer reaches. Learn more about meteors and comets in this lively and informative book! ... Read more

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Transient phenomena are short-lived astronomical events, unusual in a science in which time is more often measured in millennia than milliseconds. There is a fascination with transient phenomena, predictable or otherwise, that astronomers of all abilities share. In Meteors, Comets, Supernovae, Neil Bone gives guidelines for observers, including the best possible periods (months or years) to see seasonal but unpredictable phenomena like meteors and sunspots. Recording such outbursts involves visual observing techniques, photography, and even the relatively new field of the video recording of meteors, which are also examined in detail. The book also includes material about phenomena that occur in the lower atmosphere (such as "ozone eaters", nacreous clouds, solar and lunar haloes), which although not strictly astronomical in their nature attract the attention of dedicated sky-watchers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Two Thumbs Up!!
I am a librarian, an amateur astronomer, and a parent. In the past month I have reviewed no fewer than 11 (eleven) books on the subjects of meteors, asteroids, and comets, written for young readers.This one is the best of the lot. Design is clean and attractive. The book features excellent illustrations, lists, and charts. Text is easy to read. Information is more complete and accurate than any of the others. The detail is sufficient but not overbearing, Lots of interesting trivia asides. Best for upper elementary(grades 5-6)and intermediate school students.Not too advanced for a smart 4th grader, and not too simple for an adult.
This one gets both my thumbs up!

Can You Say "Vega?"
Vee-ga or Vay-ga?Kerrod won't tell you in his series of "Planet Library" books. Despite it's lack of proncunciation guides, the series-- like "Asteroids, Comets, and Meteors" for example -- is verywell written with a reader-friendly layout. There are plenty of recentNASA/ESA color pictures and drawings, and the binding will make the bookslast well into the next century. All of Kerrod's information is accurate,but sometimes slighly skewed; fpr example, he mentions the "Marscanals" mix-up with Schiaparelli and Lowell, but does not explain thatthe problem was translating "canali" to canals, not channels. But give Kerrod his due: it's not easy to distill so many scientificconcepts for young readers, and ultimately Kerrod does a good job coveringa broad range of astronomy topics, and includes just enough 'fun facts' tokeep young readers smiling while they learn. ... Read more

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Suitable for the Earth and Beyond QCA unit at Key Stage 2, this work answers questions about the Universe, focusing on specific planets or astral bodies. It includes 'Fact Files' which sum up the main properties of each of the astral bodies covering external, surface and internal features. ... Read more

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Meteor Showers and their Parent Comets is a unique handbook for astronomers interested in observing meteor storms and outbursts. Spectacular displays of 'shooting stars' are created when the Earth's orbit crosses a meteoroid stream, as each meteoroid causes a bright light when it enters our atmosphere at high speed. Jenniskens, an active meteor storm chaser, explains how meteoroid streams originate from the decay of meteoroids, comets and asteroids, and how they cause meteor showers on Earth. He includes the findings of recent space missions to comets and asteroids, the risk of meteor impacts on Earth, and how meteor showers may have seeded the Earth with ingredients that made life possible. All known meteor showers are identified, accompanied by fascinating details on the most important showers and their parent comets. The book predicts when exceptional meteor showers will occur over the next 50 years, making it a valuable resource for both amateur and professional astronomers. ... Read more

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A Must for Meteor Enthusiasts!
WOW! what a book this is for aspiring and experienced observers! I'm in awe. Dr. Jenniskens' new book is so chock-full of information it will take years to soak it all in. He has done a masterful job of explaining everything that goes into the generation of comet dust trails and the resultant meteor showers they spawn. That -- plus a comprehensive listing of EVERY expected meteor outburst (and their expected ZHRs!) for the next fifty years! Not just the main showers like the Leonids and Perseids, but all minor showers as well.
I'm absolutely astounded by the enormous amount of work that must have gone into creating this book! It is simply an amazing work that should be in every library and on every meteor enthusiast's shelf -- because you'll be going back to it again and again for the rest of your life!

(Note: This is probably not the right meteor book for youngsters just getting to know this wonderful science and hobby, however. The charts, graphs, and mathematics are a little overwhelming for beginners.)

Pete Bias (author of Meteors and Meteor Showers, an Amateur's Guide to Meteors) ... Read more

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Describes in simple terms the meteors, comets, and asteroids that are part of our solar system and discusses the various theories concerning their origin and their effect on life on Earth. ... Read more

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If you are an amateur astronomer, and comets, asteroids, meteors, and the zodiacal light are your quarry, then this is the book for you. Comet observers can learn how to make visual estimates of brightness and size, and how to make photographic studies of cometary heads and tails. Asteroid hunters will find a "life list" of objects and guidelines on how to search for them and then how to photograph or electronically image them. Practical photographic and electronic methods for studying meteors and meteor showers are provided. Visual and photographic techniques show you how to examine the often elusive zodiacal light. The more adventurous are provided with advanced techniques on how to make successful astrometric, spectroscopic and electronic observations.David Levy is the author of The Sky: A User's Guide (CUP, 1991). Both authors have had asteroids named after them. ... Read more

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Fire in the Sky collects many representations of comets and meteors in Britain during the eighteen and nineteenth century when a large number of works inspired by these celestial objects were produced. Over 100 photographs--and two sections of luscious color plates--beautifully portray the inspired output of some of the world's most talented artists, fully capturing the phenomenon that obsessed not only a nation but an era as well.Olson and Pasachoff reveal the many different ways that comets and meteors have appeared in paintings and literature and link these works to the achievements of British science in the wake of Newton and Halley.They also examine the different symbolism that writers and artists have attached to these spectacular objects.Throughout, Fire in the Sky conveys how the development of new technologies, and the burgeoning interest of the general public in science and art, dovetailed with an interest in nature and a strong literary tradition of comet and meteor symbolism. Beautifully illustrated and packed with engaging stories, this book will delight anyone with an interest in the art and astronomy of comets. ... Read more

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This symposium was devoted to the so-called minor bodies in theSolar System, and their mutual interrelationships. Asteroids, cometsand meteors provide essential information on the history of the SolarSystem, starting with the early phases of planetary formation, untilthe present epoch. Different evolutionary processes have shaped thephysical characteristics of the populations of minor bodies. Amongthem, collisional phenomena have played an essential role, as has beengenerally recognized by modern planetary research. This symposium wasone step in the effort to sketch a general unifying scenario of theproperties of the different populations of minor bodies, which aregenerally studied by separate scientific communities. In particular,the most recent findings on the interrelationships between asteroids,comets and meteoroids suggest that an interdisciplinary approachshould be preferred. Only in this way can the properties of differentpopulations of minor bodies be interpreted in the framework of acoherent picture of the history and evolution of the Solar System. ... Read more

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This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

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This volume is produced from digital images created through the University of Michigan University Library's large-scale digitization efforts. The Library seeks to preserve the intellectual content of items in a manner that facilitates and promotes a variety of uses. The digital reformatting process results in an electronic version of the original text that can be both accessed online and used to create new print copies. The Library also understands and values the usefulness of print and makes reprints available to the public whenever possible. This book and hundreds of thousands of others can be found in the HathiTrust, an archive of the digitized collections of many great research libraries. For access to the University of Michigan Library's digital collections, please see http://www.lib.umich.edu and for information about the HathiTrust, please visit http://www.hathitrust.org ... Read more

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Discusses the characteristics of comets and meteors and cites both famous appearances and unexplained mysteries connected with them. ... Read more

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An exciting guide to the solar system that we call home. Using the very latest photographs and the most up-to-date information available, the Our Solar System series takes a close look at the planetary system in which we live. Each title in the series not only focuses on its subject matter, but also details the historical background, people and technology that gave us the knowledge that we have today. Each book contains a table of contents, a glossary and an index. ... Read more

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This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from GeneralBooksClub.com. You can also preview excerpts from the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Published by: Longmans, Green and co. in 1872 in 411 pages; Subjects: Solar system; Astronomy; Juvenile Nonfiction / Science & Nature / Astronomy; Nature / Star Observation; Science / Astronomy; Science / Astrophysics & Space Science; Science / Cosmology; ... Read more

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Discusses the characteristics of comets, meteors, and asteroids, their relationship to and effects on the earth, and what they reveal about the history of the universe. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good Research Material
This was the first report on asteroids and meteorsI have ever done. This was my cornerstone of my vast research material. A great report book, you should get it, or even better rent in from your school libray. (Since it's out of print) ... Read more