Abstract
It is not surprising that throughout the ages no other celestial objects have received so much attention from the general public as have comets. The weird appearance of a great comet, so different from that of the familiar stars, might well startle people and give rise to superstitious fears of coming disasters like war, plague, and famine. Even as late as the sixteenth century, at the time of the great Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, a German, who held the view that the new star of 1572 in Cassiopeia was a comet, wrote that comets were formed by the ascension from the earth of human sins and wickedness, which developed into a kind of gas that was ignited by the wrath of God. This poisonous material descended upon the inhabitants, causing all kinds of calamities such as pestilence, sudden death, bad weather, and Frenchmen.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
