Catalog of Unconfirmed Comets - Volume 1 (eBook)

This catalog is the first in-depth investigation of comets that were reported since the 17th century, but not confirmed and subsequently lost. Volume I of this two-volume work covers objects observed between 1600 and 1899, a period that was dominated by visual observations and was experiencing a rapid evolution in science.

The book uniquely combines the history and culture of comet hunting and discovery with modern tools of orbital mechanics to present a wholesome catalog of unconfirmed and suspected comets. Each case includes a presentation of the observations, a discussion about the observer (when possible), consideration of the historic context, and a conclusion as to the nature of the object. In most cases, the book presents material from original sources, including some never before published that were acquired from observatories, libraries, and historical societies around the world.

Although some of these unconfirmed comets turned out to be misidentifications of planets or star clusters, fabrications, or poor observations of comets that were already being observed, the Authors did identify many objects that were likely real comets. In some cases, the Authors were even able to derive orbits for the first time. These observations may be valuable in the future, as they could prove to be observations of periodic comets still to be discovered.

Gary W. Kronk has observed over 200 comets since 1973 and has spent over 40 years researching and writing about the history of comets. He has written ten books, including the six-volume Cometography series, as well as articles for Astronomy, Sky & Telescope, and Stardate magazines. He has authored or co-authored several refereed papers that have been published in the Journal of the International Meteor Organization, Icarus, Earth, Moon and Planets, and the Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage. The co-authored papers were with astronomers Brian G. Marsden, Peter Jenniskens, and Wayne Orchiston. In 1999, Kronk was invited to join the NASA and US Air Force Leonid MAC '99 mission to study the Leonid meteor shower over Europe. In 2003, Kronk spoke at the International Workshop on Cometary Astronomy in Paris, France. The minor planet 48300 was named in his honor.

Maik Meyer has been an avid comet observer since 1987. Always interested in the history of comet hunting and observing, he has specialized in identifying and linking historic comet apparitions with known comets and calculating new and improved cometary orbits. He is discoverer of periodic comet 312P and the namesake of the Meyer group of sunskirting comets which he identified in 2002. The minor planet (52005) was named in his honor. He is co-author of volumes 5 and 6 of Cometography.