The twentieth century has been less spectacular for comets than the nineteenth century, but the object now approaching, Comet Hale-Bopp, bears a striking resemblance to the Great Comet of 1811, the biggest-headed and most enduringly visible comet ever known. Will Hale-Bopp be our Comet of the Century?

In this book, whose publication is timed to coincide with Hale-Bopp's first prominent naked-eye appearance in the evening sky, the renowned astronomy writer Fred Schaaf offers a delightful history of all the greatest comets ever recorded - the astonishing lore, the even more astonishing science, color illustrations, and how you can participate in comet history by catching a glimpse (maybe more than a glimpse) of one of the greatest comets of the century.