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Index

abiogenesis, 140 , 187 backlit comets, 45–6 accretion disk shock, 53–4 Bacon, Roger, 10 , 101 acid rain, 57 Barnard, Edward E., 41 , 43 , 126f Aegidius of Lessines, 101–2 Barnard Comet, 126f Alvarez, Luis, 55 Bede the Venerable, 100–1 Alvarez, Walter, 55 Bennett, John Caister, 73–4 amines, 144 Bennett Comet amino acids (C/1969 Y1), 73–4 defi ned, 187 (C/1974 V2), 73 glycine, 144 , 145 , 146 , 147 , 190 Berg, David, 7 Anaxagoras of Clazomenae, 95 , 140 Berger, Doug, 159 Andromeda, 29 , 33 , 34 Bessel, Friedrich Wilhelm, 11 , 12 , antitails, 72 , 74 , 75 , 80 , 90f , 97f , 105 , 106 , 187 118 , 119 aphelion, 131, 187 Beta Pictoris system, 10 apogee, 187 Beta Taurids, 59 apparitions Beyer, Max, 166 defi ned, 187 Biela’s Comet, 21 Halley’s Comet (1066), 26–9 Big Dipper, 27 , 37 , 177 Halley’s Comet (1835), 11 , 42 , 43 , 44 blast, Tunguska Event, 57–60 , 133 , 195 Halley’s Comet (1910), 12 , 42 , 43–4 , 66 , Bobrovnikoff, Nicholas, 166 69 , 78 bombardments Halley’s Comet (1985/1986), 3 , 14 , 27f , 43 , Jupiter-family comets, 54 64 , 77–80 Late-Heavy Bombardment, 136 , 142 , 192 Aquarius, 1 , 29 , 34 , 36 , 78 , 79 , 159 Shoemaker-Levy 9 (D/1993 F2), 61 Aquinas, Thomas, 10 , 102 water’s origin and, 54 , 137–8 Arecibo Observatory, 51–2 Bond, George P., 37 Arend-Roland Comet (C/1956 R1), 71–2 Bopp, Thomas J., 82 . See also Hale-Bopp Aries, 29 , 34 Borelli, Giovanni, 112 Aristotle, 10 , 95–6 , 98 , 102 , 103 , 106 , Borrelly Comet (19/P), 15 , 16f , 48 , 119 , 189 141 , 184 Bortle, John, 74 , 75 , 77 , 87–8 , 89 asteroids Braconnot, Henri, 145 comets compared to, 8–9 , 151 Bradfi eld, William A., 89–90 , 157 , 162 defi ned, 187 Bradfi eld Comet (C/2004 F4), 89 , 90f Astor, John Jacob, 35 brightness, comet, 6–7 , 23–4 . See also Great astrometry, 65 , 187 Comets ; Hale-Bopp ; Venus astronomical units, 13 , 187 Brooks, William R., 156 Astronomy magazine, 7 , 78 , 79 , 183 broom star, 26 , 27 , 29 , 105–6 astrophotography, 78 , 170–2 , 177 Broughton Comet (C/2006 OF2), 99f Augustus, 25 Burnham, Sherburne Wesley, 43 Auriga, 27 , 38 , 132f Auzout, Adrien, 111 C-141A Starlifter jet, Lockheed, 191 Ayyar, P. R. Chidambara, 45 C/1664 W1 (Comet of 1664), 110–12 , 113 , 114

199

200 Index

Caesar, Julius, 24–5 LONEOS Comet (C/2007 F1), 67f Caesar’s Comet (C/-43 K1), 25 Machholz Comet, 31f CAIs. See calcium-aluminum inclusions Tempel 1, 19 , 48 calcium-aluminum inclusions (CAIs), 148 , 187 volatiles, 48 Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, 66–7 West Comet, 81 Cancer, 30 , 101 Whipple, Fred, and, 48–9 carbonaceous chondrites, 137 , 138 , 139 , Wild 2 Comet, 16f 187 , 188 comets. See also Great Comets ; Hale-Bopp ; Carson, Johnny, 6 Halley’s Comet ; imaging comets ; Cassini, Giovanni Domenico, 110–11 LINEAR comets . observing comets ; West Castor, 5 Comet ; Wild 2 Catalogue of Galactic Planetary Nebulae , 75 Arend-Roland Comet (C/1956 R1), 71–2 cats, comets as, 3–4 asteroids compared to, 8–9 , 151 CBAT. See Central Bureau for Astronomical backlit, 45–6 Telegrams Barnard Comet, 126 CCD cameras (charge-coupled devices), 171–3 , Bennett Comet (C/1969 Y1), 73–4 176 , 178 , 181–4 , 188 Bennett Comet (C/1974 V2), 73 Celichius, Andreas, 101 Biela’s Comet, 21 Centaurs, 126–7 , 131 , 149 , 151 , 188 Borrelly Comet (19/P), 15 , 16f , 48 , 119 , 189 Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams Bradﬁ eld Comet (C/2004 F4), 89 , 90f (CBAT), 20 , 21 , 76 , 81 , 164 , 188 , 189 brightness, 6–7 , 23–4 Ceres, 189 Broughton Comet (C/2006 OF2), 99f Cetus, 34 , 36 C/1664 W1 (Comet of 1664), 110–12 , charge-coupled devices. See CCD cameras 113 , 114 Charon, 130 Caesar’s Comet (C/-43 K1), 25 Cheko Lake, 59 as cats, 3–4 Chelyabinsk Oblast, 60 of century, Kohoutek Comet, 6–7 , 75–6 , 83 Chicxulub Crater, 56 , 188 . See also K-Pg Event Churyumov-Gerasimenko Comet (67/P), 19 , Chinese culture 48 , 132 , 194 ancient, 105–6 Crommelin Comet (27P/), 65–6 broom stars, 26 , 27 , 29 , 105–6 in culture, 94–116 Halley’s Comet accounts, 26–7 densities, 47–8 CHON particles, 49 , 50 , 68 , 70 , 140 , 144 , disintegration, 51–3 , 52f 148 , 188 Donati Comet (C/1858 L1), 37 , 74 Chunfeng, Li, 105–6 drawings, 166–70 Churyumov-Gerasimenko Comet earliest reference to, 25 (67/P), 19 , 48 , 132 , 194 Encke Comet (2P/), 21 , 50 , 59 , 118–19 , 118f , cirrostratus clouds, 36 132 , 151 clouds. See also giant molecular clouds ; Oort evolution over time, 50–1 Cloud ; solar nebula ; star clusters fading, 39 , 41 , 87 , 123 , 151 , 188 cirrostratus, 36 Garradd Comet (C/2009 P1), 97f , 133 , 184f of Jupiter, 61 , 62–3 Giacobini-Zinner Comet (21P/), 14 , 49 , clusters, star 65 , 191 Double Cluster, 103f Hartley Comet 103P/Hartley 2, 18–19 , 18f , Hyades, 66f 103f , 135f , 137 , 189 , 190 M2, 159 Hartley Comet 161P/Hartley-IRAS, 132 , 162 M3, 88 Hergenrother Comet (168P), 132f M70, 82 , 159 Holmes Comet (17P), 24 , 25f , 45f, Plate 4 M75, 79 Hyakutake Comet (C/1996 B2), 3 , 24 , 51 , 70 , NGC 869, 103f 83 , 85–7 , 184, Plate 5 NGC 884, 103f ices in, 47 , 54 Pleiades (M45), 78 , 155 , 158f Ikeya-Zhang Comet (53P), 87–8 coma introduction, 1–22 condensation, 167–8 ISON Comet (C/2012 S1), 4–6 , 5f , 7 , 33 , 93 , deﬁ ned, 188 184 , 191 Great Comet of 1577, 32 , 33 Kirch’s Comet (Comet of 1680, C/1680 V1), Great Comet of 1861, 39 4–5 , 10 , 21 , 30 , 33 , 111 , 114 , 116 Great Comet of 1882, 40 , 41 Kohoutek Comet (C/1973 E1), 6–7 , 75–6 , 83 Hale-Bopp, 82 Lemmon Comet (C/2012 F6), 156f Halley, 14 , 15 Levy on, 3–4 Holmes Comet, 25f LONEOS Comet (C/2007 F1), 67f

Index 201

Lovejoy Comet (C/2007 E2), 92f Pegasus, 26 , 32 , 33 , 34 Lovejoy Comet (C/2011 W3), 92, Plate 8 Scorpius, 5 , 6 , 32 , 33 Lulin Comet (C/2007 N3), Plate 9, Ursa Major, 38 , 39 Machholz Comet (C/2004 Q2), 31f , 158f Ursa Minor, 5 , 27 , 177 McNaught Comet (C/2006 P1), 37f , 90 , 91f , Virgo, 5 , 6 , 27 , 31 , 33 , 40 92, Plate 10 Conway, Moncure, 36–7 modern era, 71–93 Copernicus, Nicolaus, 31 , 103 , 104 , 109 , 112 , naming guidelines, 19–22 113 , 184 NEAT (C/2001 Q4), 89f , Plate 11 Cosmos (Sagan), 6 , 71 NEAT (C/2002 V1), 89 , 110f Crab Nebula (M1), 78 , 155 PANSTARRS Comet (C/2011 L4), 20 , 93 , 93f , Cretaceous-Paleogene Extinction Event. 133 , 157 , 163 , 180f , 193, Plate 12, See K-Pg Event Plate 13 Crick, Francis, 141 , 143 Pojmanski Comet, 145f Criterion Dynascope 6-inch refl ector, 1 positioning, 117–33 Crommelin Comet (27P/), 65–6 science of, 134–53 cubewanos, 127 , 129 , 188 . See also Kuiper Belt September Comet of 1882, 21 , 39–41 Objects Shoemaker-Levy 9 Comet (D/1993 F2), 48 , cyanide 51 , 53 , 53f , 61–2 , 63 , 151 , 157 , 162, Plate Halley’s Comet, 67 14, Plate 15 hydrogen cyanide, 49 , 68 , 70 Skjellerup-Maristany Comet (C/1927 X1), 44–6 , 71 Darwin, Charles, 142 SWAN Comet (C/2006 M4), 165f de Chéseaux, Jean-Phillippe, 34 , 35 Swift-Tuttle Comet (109P/), 11 , 81–2 , Deep Impact space probe, 17–19 , 18f , 120f 132 , 152 comet composition, 47 , 48 Tempel 1 Comet (9P/), 17 , 17f , 18 , 19 , 47 , 48 , defi ned, 189 120f , 132 , 189 , 195 EPOXI spacecraft mission, 18–19 , 18f , Tempel-Tuttle Comet (55P/), 11 , 132 , 153 189 , 190 Tsuchinshan Comet (62P/), 169f Deep Sky Monthly , 61 Tunguska Event, 59–60 Deep Space 1 probe, 15 , 16f , 17f , 119 , 189 unpredictableness, 4 , 8 densities, comets, 47–8 comet composition, 47–70 deoxyribonucleic acid. See DNA compounds, 49 deuterium (heavy hydrogen), 54 , 70 Deep Impact space probe, 47 , 48 deuterium to hydrogen ratio (D/H ratio), 54 , elements, 49 137–8 , 139 , 188–9 overview, 8 D/H ratio. See deuterium to hydrogen ratio refractories, 48 , 49 , 194 di Bondone, Giotto, 15 Shoemaker-Levy 9 Comet (D/1993 F2), 48 , digital single lens refl ex (DSLR), 172–3 , 51 , 53 , 53f , 61–2 , 63 , 151 , 157 , 162, Plate 174 , 182 14, Plate 15 dinosaurs, 55 , 56 , 81 , 144 comet hunters, 3 , 83 , 85 , 87 , 157–63 dirty snowball model, 12 , 48–9 , 68 , comet nuclei 119 , 189 composition, 48–9 disintegration, comet, 51–3 , 52f Deep Impact space probe, 48 Divination by Astrological and Meteorological dirty snowball model, 12 , 48–9 , 68 , Phenomena , 105 119 , 189 DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), 141 , 142 , 143 , nongravitational force, 12 , 47 , 117 , 118 , 145 , 189 119 , 123 , 149 , 193 Donati, Giovanni Battista, 11–12 , 37 size, 24 Donati Comet (C/1858 L1), 37 , 74 Tunguska Event, 59–60 Dörffel, Georg S., 10 volatiles, 6 , 24 , 48 , 51 , 52 , 123 , 151 , 195 Double Cluster, 103f cometary fading, 39 , 41 , 87 , 123 , 151 , 188 Douglas, Stephen A., 38 compounds, in comets, 49 drawings, comet, 166–70 condensation, of coma, 167–8 DSLR. See digital single lens refl ex constellations dust tails, 8 , 43 , 44 , 77 , 80 , 84 , 91 , 167 , 178 , Aquarius, 1 , 29 , 34 , 36 , 78 , 79 , 159 184f , 189 Aries, 29 , 34 dwarf planets, 3 , 125 , 128 , 189 . See also Pluto Auriga, 27 , 38 , 132f dwarf stars, 122 , 125 , 146 Hercules, 5 , 6 , 38 , 97 Leo, 5 , 33 , 37 , 40 , 101 early Earth. See Earth Orion, 26 , 30 , 35 , 36 , 38 , 78 , 173 , 174 early solar system. See solar system

202 Index

Earth, early, 54 , 134–9 , 142–3 , 145 Gilliss, James M., 39 abiogenesis, 140 , 187 Gingerich, Owen, 20–1 dinosaurs, 55 , 56 , 81 , 144 Giotto spacecraft, 15 , 64 , 65f , 68 , 119 , 190 Late-Heavy Bombardment, 136 , 142 , 192 globular star cluster M2, 159 life’s origin, 142–3 globular star cluster M3, 88 oceans’ origin, 54 , 137–8 globular star cluster M70, 82 , 159 panspermia, 140 , 141 , 193 globular star cluster M75, 79 eccentricities, 9 , 128 , 129 , 130 , 131 , 133 , 188 , glycine, 144 , 145 , 146 , 147 , 190 189 , 190 , 193 Gould, Benjamin A., 40 Edberg, Stephen J., 79 Grassi, Orazio, 108 , 109 , 111 Edgeworth, Kenneth, 125–6 Great Comets, 23–46 . See also Hale-Bopp ; Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt, 127 , 189 . sungrazers ; West Comet See also Kuiper Belt of 1106, 29–30 elements, in comets, 49 of 1264, 30 , 32 , 101–2 elliptical galaxy, 169f of 1402, 30–1 elliptical orbit, 9 , 11 , 109 , 111 , 112 , 115 , of 1556, 31–2 120 , 189 of 1577, 32 , 103–4 Elst-Pizarro, 22 , 132 , 133 , 151 of 1680 (Kirch’s Comet), 4–5 , 10 , 21 , 30 , 33 , Encke, Johann, 118 111 , 114 , 116 Encke Comet (2P/), 21 , 50 , 59 , 118–19 , 118f , of 1682, 11 132 , 151 of 1744, 34 , 154 ephemeris, 111 , 166 , 189 of 1811, 35–7 , 83 , 184 EPOXI spacecraft mission, 18–19 , 18f , 189 , 190 . of 1861, 38–9 See also Deep Impact space probe of 1882, 21 , 39–41 Eris, 128 , 189 of 1910 (C/1910 A1), 42–3 European Space Agency. See also NASA antiquity, 24–5 Giotto spacecraft, 15 , 64 , 65f , 68 , 119 , 190 Bennett Comet (C/1969 Y1), 73–4 Hipparcos satellite, 117 , 125 , 195 Bennett Comet (C/1974 V2), 73 International Cometary Explorer , 14 , 64 , deﬁ ned, 190 65 , 191 factors in making, 23–4 Rosetta spacecraft, 19 , 48 , 194 Hyakutake (C/1996 B2), 3 , 24 , 51 , 70 , 83 , SOHO spacecraft, 52 , 87 , 89 , 90 , 91 , 92 , 85–7 , 184, Plate 5 152 , 195 Ikeya-Seki (C/1965 S1), 3 , 72–3 , 87 , 184, Evenks people, 57 , 58 Plate 6 exocomets, 10 , 190 Kirch’s Comet, 4–5 , 10 , 21 , 30 , 33 , 111 , explosion, Tunguska Event, 57–60 , 133 , 195 114 , 116 extraterrestrial life Kohoutek Comet ‘dud,’ 6–7 , 75–6 , 83 abiogenesis, 140 , 187 number of, 24 oceans’ origin, 54 , 137–8 Skjellerup-Maristany Comet (C/1927 X1), panspermia, 140 , 141 , 193 44–6 , 71 Green, Daniel W. E., 21 fading, cometary, 39 , 41 , 87 , 123 , 151 , 188 Gu, Ban, 26 Flammarion, Camille, 44 Guiducci, Mario, 108 , 109 Flamsteed, John, 34 , 114–15 Guth, Alan, 146 Flaugergues, Honoré, 35 fragments, into Jupiter, 62–3 Hale, Alan, 82 , 84 , 90 , 159 Hale Telescope, 66 Galileo, Galilei, 33 , 101 , 102 , 107–8 , 184 Hale-Bopp (C/1995 O1), Plate 1, Plate 2 Galileo spacecraft, 62 brightness, 82–3 Galle, Johann G., 40 compounds, 49 Garradd, Gordon, 87 , 157 discovery, 82 Garradd Comet (C/2009 P1), 97f , 133 , 184f ﬁ nal weeks, 84 gas giants, 124 , 128 , 188 , 190 Great Comet, 3 gas tail. See ion tail PAHs, 70 Geisei Observatory, 72 , 76 Pepi I observation, 83 Gemblacensis, Sigebertus, 29 reemergence, 83 Gemini, 5 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 101 Halley, Edmond, 11 , 26 , 32 , 98 , 114–15 Gemini 6 mission, 73 Halley’s Comet (1P/Halley), Plate 3 Geminid meteor stream, 151 , 153 1066 apparition, 26–9 Giacobini-Zinner Comet (21P/), 14 , 49 , 65 , 191 1835 apparition, 11 , 42 , 43 , 44 giant molecular clouds, 122 , 124 , 125 , 190 1910 apparition, 12 , 42 , 43–4 , 66 , 69 , 78 Gill, David, 41 1985/1986 apparition, 3 , 14 , 27f , 43 , 64 , 77–80

Index 203

Chinese accounts, 26–7 IAU. See International Astronomical Union coma, 14 , 15 ICE (International Cometary Explorer) , 14 , 64 , Crommelin Comet (27P/), 65–6 65 , 191 cyanide, 67 ices Giotto spacecraft, 15 , 64 , 65f , 68 , 119 , 190 in comets, 47 , 54 as Great Comet, 3 , 43 , 64 ice giants, 190 Halley’s Comet (1985/1986), 3 , 14 , 27f , 43 , icy snowball model, 12 , 48–9 , 68 , 119 , 189 64 , 77–80 volatiles, 6 , 24 , 48 , 51 , 52 , 123 , 151 , 195 ICE , 14 , 64 , 65 , 191 Ikeya, Kaoru, 72 , 87 International Halley Watch, 65 , 191 Ikeya-Seki (C/1965 S1), 3 , 72–3 , 87 , 184, Plate 6 Sakigake space probe, 15 , 68 , 194 Ikeya-Zhang Comet (53P), 87–8 Suisei space probe, 14 , 68 , 195 imaging comets, 171–85 tail, 80 astrophotography, 78 , 170–2 , 177 Vega 1 space probe, 14 , 65 , 68 , 70 , 195 CCD cameras, 171–3 , 176 , 178 , 181–4 , 188 Vega 2 space probe, 14–15 , 65 , 68 , 70 , 195 DSLR, 172–3 , 174 , 182 “Waiting for Halley” article, 78 polar alignment of telescope, 175–6 , 177 , Halley-type comets, 9 , 120 , 132 , 149 , 152 , 190 179 , 182 Hamburg Observatory, 75 prime focus photography, 171–2 , 178 , 179 Hartley inclination, 190 Comet 103P/Hartley 2, 18–19 , 18f , 103f , infrared observations, 65 , 68 , 70 , 76 , 182 , 191 135f , 137 , 189 , 190 Innes, Robert T. A., 42 Comet 161P/Hartley-IRAS, 132 , 162 International Astronomical Union (IAU) Harvard College Observatory, 37 Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams, Harvard University, 20 20 , 21 , 76 , 81 , 164 , 188 , 189 Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, comet naming conventions, 19–22 146 , 192 deﬁ ned, 191 Haumea, 128 , 189 described, 19–20 Hawkes, Ellison, 42 Minor Planet Center, 189 , 192 hazards International Cometary Explorer . See ICE K-Pg Event, 55–7 , 59 , 81 , 144 , 188 International Halley Watch, 65 , 191 NEOs, 55 , 57 , 133 , 150 , 192 , 193 International Scientiﬁ c Optical Network.

2012 DA14 , 55 , 60 See ISON heavy hydrogen. See deuterium ion tail (gas tail, plasma tail), 8 , 14 , 43 , 44 , 74 , Heinsius, Gottfried, 34 77 , 80 , 84 , 145f , 191 Heller, Joachim, 31 IRAS-Araki-Alcock (C/1983 H1), 23–4 Herculaneum, 98 iridium, 55 , 56 , 59 , 163f Hercules constellation, 5 , 6 , 38 , 97 irradiation mantle, 149–50 Hergenrother Comet (168P), 132f ISON (International Scientiﬁ c Optical Herschel, Caroline, 118 , 156 Network), 4 , 191 Herschel, William, 35 , 118 , 159 ISON Comet (C/2012 S1), 4–6 , 5f , 7 , 33 , 93 , 184 , 191 Hevelius, Johannes, 87 , 113–14 Hill, George W., 190 Japan Hill sphere, 61 , 190 Geisei Observatory, 72 , 76 Hind, John Russell, 29 Hyakutake (C/1996 B2), 3 , 24 , 51 , 70 , 83 , Hipparcos satellite, 117 , 125 , 195 85–7 , 184, Plate 5 Hipparcos star catalog, 117 Ikeya-Seki (C/1965 S1), 3 , 72–3 , 87 , 184, Hippocrates of Chios, 95 Plate 6 Hodges, Ann Elizabeth, 60 Sakigake space probe, 15 , 68 , 194 Holmes Comet (17P), 24 , 25f , 45f, Plate 4 Suisei space probe, 14 , 68 , 195 Honda-Mrkos-Pajdušáková (45P/), 152f Jesus of Nazareth, 102 Hooke, Robert, 112–13 Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), 17f , 18f , 65 , Hubble Space Telescope, 53f , 62 , 86 120f , 138f , 191 Huggins, William, 11–12 Jewett, David, 127–8 Hyades, 66f JPL. See Jet Propulsion Laboratory Hyakutake Comet (C/1996 B2), 3 , 24 , 51 , 70 , Jupiter 83 , 85–7 , 184, Plate 5 Comet West, 2 hydrogen, molecular, 190 . See also deuterium fragments into, 62–3 to hydrogen ratio ; giant molecular gas giant planet, 190 clouds quasi-Hilda comets, 64 hydrogen cyanide, 49 , 68 , 70 S-L 9 impacts, 62 , 63 , 64 hydroxyl radical, 67 value of, 63–4 hyperbolic orbit, 7 , 9 , 13 , 120 , 123 , 190 Wild 2 Comet, 147

204 Index

Jupiter-family comets, 9 , 17 , 51 , 54 , 64 , 120 , C/1999 S4, 52 , 52f , 152 131–2 , 137 , 149 , 152 , 191 C/2002 T7, 88 Jurassic period, 144 C/2006 VZ13, 88f C/2012 K5, 141f KBOs. See Kuiper Belt Objects Lockheed C-141A Starlifter jet, 191 Kepler, Johannes, 95 , 99–100 , 106–7 , 109 , 114 LONEOS Comet (C/2007 F1), 67f Kirch’s Comet (Comet of 1680, C/1680 V1), long-period comets 4–5 , 10 , 21 , 30 , 33 , 111 , 114 , 116 deﬁ ned, 9 , 192 Kirk, John, 39 Kreutz Sungrazers, 9 , 12 , 23 , 29 , 72 , 74 , 92 , Kislovodsk Observatory, 4 151 , 191 Kiuchi, Tsuruhiko, 81 planetesimals and, 121 Klinkenberg, Dirk, 34 study on, 123 Kobayashi-Berger-Milon (C/1975 N1), 159 Louis XIV, 111 , 113 Kohoutek, Luboš, 7 Louis XV, 155 Kohoutek Comet (C/1973 E1), 6–7 , 75–6 , 83 Lovejoy Comet (C/2007 E2), 92f Kowal, Charles, 126 Lovejoy Comet (C/2011 W3), 92, Plate 8 K-Pg Event (Cretaceous-Paleogene Extinction Lovejoy Terry, 80 , 83 , 85 , 90 , 92 Event), 55–7 , 59 , 81 , 144 , 188 Lowell Observatory, 44 , 45 , 61 , 76 , 86 , Kresák, L’ubor, 59 125 , 157 Kreutz, Heinrich, 9 Lulin Comet (C/2007 N3), Plate 9, Kreutz Sungrazers, 9 , 12 , 23 , 29 , 72 , 74 , 92 , Luu, Jane, 127–8 151 , 191 Kronk, Gary, 26 , 36 , 81–2 , 85 , 86 M2 globular star cluster, 159 K-T Impact, 55 , 188 M3 globular star cluster, 88 Kuiper, Gerard, P., 126 , 130 , 191 M70 globular star cluster, 82 , 159 Kuiper Airborne Observatory, 68 , 191 M75 globular star cluster, 79 Kuiper Belt Machholz, Donald E., 157 , 161–3 deﬁ ned, 3 , 191 Machholz Comet (C/2004 Q2), 31f , 158f Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt, 127 , 189 Magnus, Albertus, 101 Kohoutek Comet, 7 main-belt asteroids, 127 , 150 Wild 2, 147 main-belt comets, 132–3 , 192 Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs), 76 Makemake, 128 , 189

(15760) 1992QB1 , 127 , 188 Marcus, Joseph, 45 cubewanos, 127 , 129 , 188 Maristany, Eduardo, 44 Kulik, Leonard, 58 , 59 Marius, Simon, 10 Kushida-Muramatsu (147P), 64 , 66f Markwick, Ernest E., 41 Marsden, Brian, 13 , 21 , 29 , 62 , 75 , 76 , 81 , 82 , Lagerkvist-Carsenty, 147f 88 , 90 , 127 Laplace, Pierre-Simon, 11 , 12 Mästlin, Michael, 103–4 Lardner, Dionysius, 120 Maxim DL , 183 Lastivertsi, Aristakes, 28–9 McNaught, Robert H., 82 , 90 , 157 Late-Heavy Bombardment, 136 , 142 , 192 McNaught Comet (C/2006 P1), 37f , 90 , 91f , 92, Lemmon Comet (C/2012 F6), 156f Plate 10 Leo constellation, 5 , 33 , 37 , 40 , 101 Méchain, Pierre, 118 , 155 Leonard, Frederick C., 125 Messier, Charles, 154–6 , 164 , 184 Levy, David Messier Catalog, 155 , 156 on comets, 3–4 meteor showers, 11 , 12 , 59 , 81 , 192 Halley’s Comet, 80 meteorites Shoemaker-Levy 9 Comet (D/1993 F2), 48, carbonaceous chondrites, 137 , 138 , 139 , 51 , 53 , 53f , 61–2 , 63 , 151 , 157 , 162, Plate 187 , 188 14, Plate 15 deﬁ ned, 192 Licht, A. Lewis, 26 fall, 2013 Russia, 60 , 184 life’s origin. See Earth micrometeorites, 49 Lincoln, Abraham, 37–8 , 74 Tunguska Event, 58 , 59 , 60 Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research. meteoroids, 61 , 63 , 136 , 140 , 192 See LINEAR meteors, 192 LINEAR (Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid micrometeorites, 49 Research), 52 , 88 , 192 Milky Way, 2 , 27 , 47 , 80 , 98 , 101 , 122 , 125 , LINEAR comets 146 , 174 176P/LINEAR, 22 , 133 Miller, Stanley, 143 , 192 217P, Plate 7, Miller-Urey experiment, 143 , 192

Index 205

Milon, Dennis, 159 Palomar Mountain Observatory, 61, 66 , Minor Planet Center, 189 , 192 77–8 , 79 , 157 molecular clouds, giant, 122 , 124 , 125 , 190 ROSAT X-ray observatory, 62 Moonwatch telescope, 73 SOHO , 52 , 87 , 89 , 90 , 91 , 92 , 152 , 195 Moore, Patrick, 72 Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatories, 91 Morris, Charles S., 79 , 85 , 166 Steward Observatory, 80 Mount Lemmon Survey, 4 , 69f observing comets, 154–70 Müller, Johannes, 102 comet drawings, 166–70 comet hunters, 3 , 83 , 85 , 87 , 157–63 naming guidelines, comets, 19–22 Messier and, 154–6 , 164 , 184 NASA. See also European Space Agency oceans Deep Space 1 probe, 15 , 16f , 17f , 119 , 189 abiogenesis and, 140 , 187 EPOXI spacecraft mission, 18–19 , 18f , solar nebula and, 139 189 , 190 VSMOW, 137 , 195 International Cometary Explorer , 14 , 64 , water’s origin, 54 , 137–8 65 , 191 off-axis guider, 180–1 JPL, 17f , 18f , 65 , 120f , 138f , 191 olivine group minerals, 17 , 49 , 50 , 148 Kuiper Airborne Observatory, 68 , 191 O’Meara, Stephen James, 79 , 86 SOHO spacecraft, 52 , 87 , 89 , 90 , 91 , 92 , Oort, Jan H., 9 , 12 , 121 , 134 , 188 , 193 . 152 , 195 See also cometary fading Stardust- NExT , 19 , 195 Oort Cloud Stardust spacecraft, 15–16 , 19 , 49–50 , 138f , comets, number of, 9–10 , 14 , 124 144 , 146 , 147 , 148 , 190 , 195 deﬁ ned, 193 Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking. See NEAT home to comets, 121 project hypothesis development, 12–14 near-Earth objects (NEOs), 55 , 57 , 133 , 150 , Kohoutek Comet, 7 , 76 192, 193 Öpik, Ernst, 13 , 122 NEAT comets Orion, 26 , 30 , 35 , 36 , 38 , 78 , C/2002 Q4, 89f 173 , 174 C/2002 V1, 89 , 110f Orionids, 152 NEAT (C/2001 Q4), Plate 11, osbornite, 147 , 148 NEAT project (Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking), 89 , 157 , 193 PAHs. See polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons NEOs. See near-Earth objects Paleogene, 55 . See also K-Pg Event Neptune. See also Kuiper Belt ; Trans-Neptunian Palitzsch, Johann Georg, 11 , 154 Objects Palomar Mountain Observatory, 61 , 66 , 77–8 , gas giant, 190 79 , 157 ice giant, 190 Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid twotinos, 129 , 195 Response System. See Pan-STARRS Nevski, Vitali, 4 panspermia, 140 , 141 , 193 Newburn, Ray, 65 Pan-STARRS (Panoramic Survey Telescope and Newton, Hubert A., 121 Rapid Response System), 4 , 93 , 193 Newton, Isaac, 10–11 , 34 , 113 , 114–16 , 184 PANSTARRS Comet (C/2011 L4), 20 , 93 , 93f , Newton, Jack, 182 133 , 157 , 163 , 180f , 193, Plate 12, Plate 13 NGC 869, 103f parabolic orbit, 9 , 10 , 41 , 104 , 115 , 120 , 193 NGC 884, 103f Pegasus, 26 , 32 , 33 , 34 nongravitational force, 12 , 47 , 117 , 118 , 119 , Peltier, Leslie C., 157 123 , 149 , 193 Pepi I, 83 nonperiodic comet, 22 , 87 Perek-Kohoutek Catalog, 75 Novichonok, Artyom, 4 perigee, 5 , 112 , 193 perihelion, 193 Observatorie de Paris, 82 periodic comets, 11 , 17 , 18 , 21 , 22 , 59 , 87 , observatories 115f , 118 , 132 , 151 , 153 , 195 Arecibo Observatory, 51–2 perturbations, 13 , 29 , 117 , 119 , 121 , 122 , 124 , Geisei Observatory, 72 , 76 125 , 128 , 136 , 147 , 193 Hamburg Observatory, 75 Peru, 32 Harvard College Observatory, 37 Peuerbach, Georg von, 102 Kislovodsk Observatory, 4 Photoshop, 172 , 182–3 Kuiper Airborne Observatory, 68 , 191 Piazzi, Charles, 36 Lowell Observatory, 44 , 45 , 61 , 76 , 86 , Pingré, Alexandre, 26 , 32 125 , 157 Pizarro, Guido, 132

206 Index

planetesimals, 121 , 137 , 139 , 193–4 . Sagan, Carl, 6–7 , 71 , 108 , 141 See also Oort Cloud Sakigake space probe, 15 , 68 , 194 plasma, 14 , 15 , 194 Saturn plasma tail. See ion tail gas giant planet, 190 Pleiades star cluster (M45), 78 , 155 , 158f Phoebe, 127 Pliny the Elder, 25 , 98–9 Saturn Nebula (NGC 7009), 79 plutinos, 129 , 194 Scarperi, Giacomo di, 30–1 Pluto, 3 , 121 , 124 , 125–6 , 127 , 128 , 129 , scattered disk, 128–9 , 130 , 131 , 195 130 , 189 Schiaparelli, Giovanni, 11 Charon, 130 Schmidt, Johann F. J., 38 Pojmanski Comet, 145f Schmidt, Maarten, 13 polar alignment, 175–6 , 177 , 179 , 182 Schmidt telescope, 61 , 89 Pollux, 5 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, 62 , 92 , 99 , 110 , polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 48 , 163 , 169 , 178 70 , 140 , 194 Schwassmann-Wachmann Comet (73/P), 20f , Pons, Jean-Louis, 60 , 156 51 , 115f , 173f positioning, of comets, 117–33 science, of comets, 134–53 Poynting-Robertson effect, 130 , 194 Scorpius, 5 , 6 , 32 , 33 prime focus imaging, 171–2 , 178 , 179 Scott, William, 38 proteins, 49 , 142 , 144 , 145 , 146 , 187 , Scotti, James V., 86 , 157 190 , 194 Scutum, 33 protoplanets, 139 , 193 Sekanina, Zdenek, 59 protosolar disk, 136 , 194 Seki, Tsutomu, 72 , 75 , 76 protosolar nebula, 136 , 137 , 194 . See also solar semimajor axes, 13 , 106 , 121 , 122 , 126 , nebula 188 , 195 Ptolemy, Claudius, 96 , 99–101 Seneca, Lucius Annaeus, 94–8 , 116 September Comet of 1882, Great, 21 , 39–41

QB1 , (15760) 1992QB1 , 127 , 129 , 188 Shoemaker, Carolyn, 61 Shoemaker, Eugene M., 61 radiation pressure, 2 , 8 , 72 , 107 , 130 , 140 , Shoemaker-Levy 9 Comet (D/1993 F2), 48 , 51 , 188 , 194 53 , 53f , 61–2 , 63 , 151 , 157 , 162, Plate 14, Ramsey, John T., 26 Plate 15 Raymundo, Paulo, 87 short-period comets Reed, Joseph, 40 deﬁ ned, 9 , 131–2 , 195 refractories, 48 , 49 , 194 Halley-type comets, 9 , 120 , 132, 149 , Renne, Paul, 56 152 , 190 resonance, 64 , 128 , 129–30 , 193 , 194 , 195 Honda-Mrkos-Pajdušáková (45P/), 152f Rhemann, Gerald, 16f , 20f , 45f , 67f , 88f , 90 , Jupiter-family comets, 9 , 17 , 51 , 54 , 64 , 120 , 91f , 97f , 141f , 152f , 158f , 165f , 169f , 173f , 131–2 , 137 , 149 , 152 , 191 178f , 184f main-belt comets compared to, 133 ribonucleic acid. See RNA in Oort Cloud, 10 Ritchey-Chrétien telescope, 5f , 123f , 126f scattered disk, 128 RNA (ribonucleic acid), 143 , 145 , 194 Siberia, Tunguska Event, 57–60 , 133 , 195 Roemer, Elizabeth, 72 , 74 , 76 , 77 Sibir newspaper, 57–8 Roland, Georges, 71 Sidgwick, John B., 166 ROSAT X-ray observatory, 62 Skjellerup-Maristany Comet (C/1927 X1), 44–6 , 71 Rosetta spacecraft, 19 , 48 , 194 S-L 9, 62 , 63 , 64 Ross, Alexander, 35 Smith, George, 34 Russia Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 146 , 192 International Scientiﬁ c Optical Network, snowball model, dirty, 12 , 48–9 , 68 , 119 , 189 4 , 191 SOHO ( Solar and Heliospheric Observatory ) ISON Comet (C/2012 S1), 4–6 , 5f , 7 , 33 , 93 , spacecraft, 52 , 87 , 89 , 90 , 91 , 92 , 152 , 195 184 , 191 Solar and Heliospheric Observatory . See SOHO Kislovodsk Observatory, 4 solar nebula, 2 , 68 , 126 , 137 , 139 , 148 Novichonok and, 4 protosolar nebula, 136 , 137 , 194 Tunguska Event, 57–60 , 133 , 195 solar system, early 2013 meteorite fall, 60 , 184 CHON particles, 49 , 50 , 68 , 70 , 140 , 144 , Vega 1 space probe, 14 , 65 , 68 , 70 , 195 148 , 188 Vega 2 space probe, 14–15 , 65 , 68 , 70 , 195 formation, 2–3 Russian Academy of Science, 4 , 58 KBOs excitement, 130–1

Index 207

Late-Heavy Bombardment, 136 , 142 , 192 Tempel 1 Comet (9P/), 17 , 17f , 18 , 19 , 47 , 48 , planetesimals, 121 , 137 , 139 , 193–4 120f , 132 , 189 , 195 protoplanets, 139 , 193 Tempel-Tuttle Comet (55P/), 11 , 132 , 153 protosolar disk, 136 , 194 Tertiary period, 55 , 144 , 188 . See also Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatories, 91 K-Pg Event solar wind, 8 , 15 , 50 , 72 , 188 , 195 TNOs. See Trans-Neptunian Objects Soviet Union. See Russia Toscanelli, Paolo dal Pozzo, 10 , 102 spectroscopic observations, 11–12 , 43 , 44 , 46 , Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs) 48 , 49 , 65 , 68 , 70 defi ned, 195 Spitzer Space Telescope, 47 plutinos, 129 , 194 Sputnik , 73 scattered disk, 128–9 , 130 , 131 , 195 star clusters twotinos, 129 , 195 Double Cluster, 103f Triangulum, 34 Hyades, 66f Tsuchinshan Comet (62P/), 169f M2, 159 tsunamis, 56 , 57 M3, 88 Tunguska Event, 57–60 , 133 , 195 M70, 82 , 159 Tuttle, Horace P., 81 . See also Swift- M75, 79 Tuttle Comet NGC 869, 103f twotinos, 129 , 195 NGC 884, 103f Tycho Brahe, 10 , 32–3 , 104 , 106 , Pleiades (M45), 78 , 155 , 158f 108 , 109 star parties, 1 , 3 Stardust- NExT , 19 , 195 University of Arizona study, 50 Stardust spacecraft unpredictableness, comets, 4 , 8 defi ned, 195 Uranus, 14 , 35 , 82 , 126 , 130 , 138 , 190 glycine, 144 , 145 , 146 , 147 , 190 Urban, Pope, 30 Tempel 1 Comet, 19 Urey, Harold C., 143 , 192 Wild 2 Comet, 15–17 , 48 , 138f , 144 , 146–8 Ursa Major, 38 , 39 Steward Observatory, 80 Ursa Minor, 5 , 27 , 177 Stothard, J. M., 38–9 Usherwood, William, 12 , 37 Strömgren, Svante Elis, 12–13 sublimation, 8 , 12 , 23 , 68 , 69 , 149 , 191 , 193 , 195 Vega (star), 39 Suisei space probe, 14 , 68 , 195 Vega 1 space probe, 14 , 65 , 68 , 70 , 195 sungrazers. See also Great Comets Vega 2 space probe, 14–15 , 65 , 68 , 70 , 195 defi ned, 4 , 195 Venus Great Comets, 21 Great Comet of 1402, 31 ISON Comet (C/2012 S1), 4–6 , 5f , 7 , 33 , 93 , Great Comet of 1577, 32 , 103–4 184 , 191 Great Comet of 1744, 34 Kreutz Sungrazers, 9 , 12 , 23 , 29 , 72 , 74 , 92 , Great Comet of 1861, 38 151 , 191 Great Comet of 1882, 40 SWAN Comet (C/2006 M4), 165f Great Comet of 1910, 42 Swift, Lewis, 81 Halley’s Comet (1835), 44 Swift-Tuttle Comet (109P/), 11 , 81–2 , 132 , 152 Hyakutake Comet, 86 Sylacauga, 60 ISON Comet and, 4 , 6 Skjellerup-Maristany Comet, 45 Tebbutt, John, 38 Vega 1 / Vega 2 and, 14 telecompressor, 181 Venus Genetrix, 26 telescopes Very Large Telescope, 52f , 81 Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, 66–7 Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water Hale Telescope, 66 (VSMOW), 137 , 195 Hubble Space Telescope, 53f , 62 , 86 Virgo Cluster, 169f Moonwatch, 73 Virgo, 5 , 6 , 27 , 31 , 33 , 40 Pan-STARRS, 4 , 93 , 193 viruses, 140 , 143 polar alignment, 175–6 , 177 , 179 , 182 volatiles, 6 , 24, 48 , 51 , 52 , 123 , 151 , 195 Ritchey-Chrétien, 5f , 123f , 126f VSMOW. See Vienna Standard Mean Schmidt, 61 , 89 Ocean Water Schmidt-Cassegrain, 62 , 92 , 99 , 110 , 163 , 169 , 178 “Waiting for Halley” article, 78 Spitzer Space Telescope, 47 water, bombardments and, 54 , 137–8 . Very Large Telescope, 52f , 81 See also oceans

208 Index

Webb, Thomas W., 38 Wild 2 (Comet 81P/Wild 2) West, Richard M., 76 , 81 glycine, 144 , 145 , 146 , 147 , 190 West Comet (C/1975 V1), Plate 16 osbornite, 147 , 148 author’s ﬁ rst look, 1–2 Stardust spacecraft, 15–17 , 48 , 138f , brightness of, 2 144 , 146–8 coma, 81 University of Arizona study, 50 discovery, 76 Wolf, Max, 43 ISON Comet and, 6 observation, 76–7 Young, Charles A., 41 Whipple, Francis J. W., 59 Yucatán Peninsula, 56 , 81 , 188 Whipple, Fred, 12 , 48–9 , 68 , 119 , 189 Zhang, Daqing, 87 Wickramasinghe, Chandra, 140 Zircon, 135