{"product_id":"halley-s-comet-donald-tattersfield-first-u-s-edition-1985","title":"Halley’s Comet — Donald Tattersfield, First U.S. Edition (1985)","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublished on the eve of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHalley’s Comet’s historic 1986 return\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, Donald Tattersfield’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHalley’s Comet\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is an unusually period-specific guide to one of astronomy’s most anticipated events of the 20th century.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRather than treating the comet only as an astronomical curiosity, Tattersfield combines its history and orbital science with practical observing information and an unmistakably 1980s technological feature: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ecomputer programs designed for the Commodore 64, TRS-80, and Apple II\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Readers could use their home computers to calculate and plot the comet’s movement, determine observing positions, work with lunar phases, and explore its orbit.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThat combination makes the book an interesting artifact from two scientific developments occurring at the same time: the return of the world’s most famous periodic comet and the rapid arrival of affordable personal computing. In 1985, using a home computer to perform astronomical calculations was still novel enough to feature prominently on the dust jacket.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe book explains the motion and history of Halley’s Comet, how and when it could be observed during the 1985–86 apparition, comet brightness and spectroscopy, orbital calculations, photography, the physical nature and possible origins of comets, and contemporary plans for spacecraft encounters. Its final chapters discuss missions including \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGiotto and other spacecraft being prepared to investigate Halley at close range\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThose missions would make the 1986 apparition scientifically unprecedented. Halley was ultimately encountered by an international fleet of spacecraft, and ESA’s Giotto returned the first close-up images of a cometary nucleus—revealing Halley as a dark, irregular body emitting jets of gas and dust.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003efirst U.S. edition\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, published by Basil Blackwell in 1985. The original British edition appeared the previous year, so it should not be described simply as the first edition.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Donald Tattersfield\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Basil Blackwell Inc., New York\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYear:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 1985\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEdition:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e First U.S. Edition\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePages:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 176\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFormat:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Hardcover with original illustrated dust jacket\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eISBN:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 0-631-14551-6\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 978-0-631-14551-6\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCondition:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Vintage hardcover with original illustrated dust jacket. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Stemcell Science Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43257949945954,"sku":"HA-4972","price":43.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1627\/0819\/files\/IMG_7524_451b8d58-cfee-4656-8c0e-b42a85284f09.jpg?v=1787786562","url":"https:\/\/www.osadia.ca\/products\/halley-s-comet-donald-tattersfield-first-u-s-edition-1985","provider":"Osadia Concept Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}