When one science fiction author called the asteroids "ten thousand fleas on the dead dog of night," he was only reflecting the disregard astronomers once had for these mysterious objects-most of which were considered little more than nuisances. Today, astronomers have a whole new respect for asteroids, comets, and meteors. The collision of an asteroid with Earth may have spelled the end of the dinosaurs-and a future collision may end life as we know it on our planet. Likewise, the icy mounds called comets are not just rare, graceful apparitions in the night sky, they are among the most interesting objects in the solar system, perhaps holding clues to the origin of the solar system itself. This book explores these little-known but fascinating denizens of outer space.

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