Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Image Credit: Kadri Tinn
Impact Jupiter. The Crash of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 by D.H. Levy
Finished reading on November 28, 2012
Rating 8/10
Some years ago I considered supernovae some of the most boring astronomical objects - it's just an explosion/implosion really after all, but then I had to do a short presentation on something astronomical and I chose supernovae as the topic and while researching it, I suddenly realized that I had been too judgemental, and that supernovas are not that boring after all.
The same thing was true for comets. Why on Earth would someone even bother to search for those fuzzy little mudballs?
Impact Jupiter came at a right time. It's been cloudy here for several days and so the urge to scan the sky for comets will hopefully die before the clear nights return.
It is an interesting book, although Shoemaker-Levy 9 is it's main topic, it also covers comets in general and although the sub-title has the word "crash" in it, it's not just about that part in the history of S-L 9, there's also the discovery and months up to the moment of its impact with Jupiter.
Levy's writing is so good that I could barely realize I was reading and not just listening to him speak.
I'd suggest reading it to any amateur astronomer or someone suffering from "astromadness".
Here's an interview with David Levy:
Labels: book review, D.H. Levy