Radiating fire and ice, comets as a phenomenon seem part science, part myth. 2000 years ago when a comet shot across the night sky, it convinced the Romans that Julius Caesar was a god. In 1066, Halley's Comet was interpreted as a foreshadowing of the death of Harold the Second in the Battle of Hastings. Even today the arrival of a comet often feels auspicious, confirming our hopes, fears and sense of wonder in the universe. P. Andrew Karam takes the reader on a far-ranging exploration of these beautiful and dramatic objects in the skies, revealing how comets and humanity have been interwoven throughout history.

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