"When beggers die, there are no comets seen; But the heavens themselves cry out at the death of princes".
In these famous words, Shakespear gives voice to the fear aroused by the appearance of a comet. As portents of evil, comets would strike terror into the heart of the mediaeval man. Even today, the appearance of a bright comet can cause an outbreak of superstition and doomsday cults. Nothing focuses the attention of the public onto astronomy like a bright comet, and astronomy club membership always registers a large increase following apirition of one of these ghostly visitors.
There is nothing quite like standing out on a dark night watching a bright comet with a long tail arcing gracefully across the sky. Yet although this is the general picture of a comet, the vast majority only appear as a small, faint blob in the telescope. However, even if this is the case, to watch as these visitors from the depths of the solar system brighten and fade away, is facinating. Also comets often do not behave as they are expected. They may suddenly flare up in brightness, or they may suddenly fade. On a number of occasions comets have been observed to split, so the observer does not always know what to expect. One description of comets is that they are like cats. They have tails and they do whatever they want! Add to this the rewards that come with discovering a new comet and it is clear why these objects always remain popular with amateur astronomers.
Useful comet links
