''Comet'' is a 1985 popular-science book by
Carl Sagan and
Ann Druyan.
The authors describe the scientific nature of
comets, as well as their varying roles and perceptions throughout history. The evolution of human understanding of comets is also detailed, and thinkers and astronomers such as
Edmond Halley
Edmond (or Edmund) Halley (; – ) was an English astronomer, mathematician and physicist. He was the second Astronomer Royal in Britain, succeeding John Flamsteed in 1720.
From an observatory he constructed on Saint Helena in 1676–77, Hal ...
,
Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant (born Emanuel Kant; 22 April 1724 – 12 February 1804) was a German Philosophy, philosopher and one of the central Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment thinkers. Born in Königsberg, Kant's comprehensive and systematic works ...
, and
William Huggins are discussed.
The publication of the first edition was months ahead of the 1986 appearance of
Halley's Comet
Halley's Comet is the only known List of periodic comets, short-period comet that is consistently visible to the naked eye from Earth, appearing every 72–80 years, though with the majority of recorded apparitions (25 of 30) occurring after ...
. A 1997 edition includes additional material.
References
1985 non-fiction books
American non-fiction books
English-language non-fiction books
Popular physics books
Random House books
Works by Carl Sagan
Astronomy books
Comets
{{astronomy-book-stub