J. Brit. Astron. Assoc., 107, 2, 1997, p.95
Cambridge University Press, 1997. ISBN 0-521-586364. Pp iv + 60, £8.95 (pbk).
ATL Press Inc. (PO Box 4563, T Station, Shrewbury, MA 01545, USA), 1996. ISBN 1-882360-14-1 (hbk.), 1-882360-15-X (pbk). Pp 175, $42.95/$19.95.
reviewed by James Lancashire
Publishers have taken advantage of the long lead-time from Comet Hale–Bopp's discovery to produce (at least) two books. One is certainly more successful than the other reviewed, although both are written by established authors who aim at the American market.
Burnham starts with a general introduction for the non-specialist, including reference to the Kuiper belt and Oort cloud, although Jupiter is mentioned only for its gravitational influence. Also the model of comets as dirty snowballs clearly has not been updated since the Shoemaker–Levy 9 impacts with Jupiter. He then shows charts produced by Starry Night to illustrate the calendar summary for both hemispheres, although a plot of the comet's track would have been useful and the constellations are not easy to identify. Also many of the graphics are not on or facing the page to which they relate.
The passage of Hale-Bopp past M31 in the third week of March is not illustrated although this would be a fine 'project' for newcomers. There is some useful advice about better views from dark sites and using a logbook, but no examples of what to record are given. There are concluding chapters on photography and on searching for comets, plus a useful (if US-based) resource list which includes the BAA.
Hockey's book is more detailed and your reviewer's preference. He seems aware of the global spectacle which Hale–Bopp presents, although there are several points which are either wrong or contradicted elsewhere in the book. For instance, he says (p.15) that comets 'do not look like anything else' then later (pp. 89/90) mentions that 'Messier cataloged ... [fuzzy objects] ... precisely to avoid ... confusing them with comets'. He also says on page 15 that comets 'move rapidly along paths unlike any other objects'. Apparent paths maybe – but the genius of Newton and Halley was to generalise planetary orbits so that gravitational theory was universal and applicable to planets, comets, galaxies as well as to terrestrial apples. Hockey then devotes chapter 3 to Newton's laws of motion and gravity.
Hockey has a chapter on the comet's discovery with stories from Hale and Bopp, then an excellent chapter on the celestial heavens for beginners and the comet's progress through them. The Voyager II charts are perhaps a little small, though the constellations are easily identified, and there is a useful track of the comet's path for the apparition. Again, a dark site is emphasised and there is a useful list of computer resources on the World Wide Web, and Hockey bravely includes his own e-mail address for readers to keep in touch.
The book concludes with a useful chapter on buying telescopes and binoculars, although they may be somewhat over the top for this comet! The book however certainly provides a useful introduction to comets and can safely be recommended to beginners in order to plan their observations of Hale-Bopp. Let's hope we are treated to a show to rival Hyakutake.
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