"The Mystery of Comets" by Dr. Fred Whipple provides an introduction to the modern picture of comets and his personal reminiscences of how his model of comets came to be. An adaptation of several sections of the book is presented. (JN)

Discusses archaeoastronomy, a young science that has become a bridge between the humanities and the physical sciences. Includes a diagram of the multicultural nature of ancient astronomy. (MKR)

Proposes a new origin for comets in the solar system, namely, that comets originated in the breakup of a body orbiting the sun in or near the present location of the asteroid belt in the relatively recent past. Predictions related to the theory are discussed. (Author/JN)

Presents excerpts from "The Comet Book," a nontechnical primer on comets. Various topics discusses in these excerpts include such basic information about comets as their components, paths, and origins. (DH)

Traces asteroid discoveries by amateurs from the 19th century to the present. The importance and necessity of amateur work are noted, especially with reference to observing and documenting occultations (one object passes directly in front of another which is farther away). Suggestions are made for viewing asteroids as a hobby. (DH)

Examined is the science of catastrophism and its role in planetary and earth science. The effects of impacts on earth with extraterrestrial origins are discussed. Perspectives on the age and dynamics of the earth's crust are presented. (CW)

Highlights current information on the martian surface. Topics include a planetary overview (atmosphere, dust storms, water vapor/ice, soil analysis) and surface features (craters, volcanoes, canyons/channels, polar regions, wind-related features). Similarities/differences between Mars and Earth are also discussed. (JN)

Describes several of the labs developed by Project CLEA (Contemporary Laboratory Experiences in Astronomy). The computer labs cover simulated spectrometer use, investigating the moons of Jupiter, radar measurements, energy flow out of the sun, classifying stellar spectra, photoelectric photometry, Doppler effect, eclipsing binary stars, and lunar…

Map making is described in the context of extraterrestrial areas. An analogy to terrestrial map making is used to provide some background. The status of projects designed to map extraterrestrial areas are discussed including problems unique to this science. (CW)

Reviewed is the history of the naming of the constellations which appear in the sky. The roles of many ancient peoples through the astronomers of the eighteenth century up to the adoption of the official list of 88 constellations produced in 1922 by the International Astronomical Union are discussed. (CW)

Surveys resources of astronomical information. Includes bibliographies of books and articles on the solar system in general as well as all of the bodies that occur in the solar system. Lists slide sets available from the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. (CW)

Listed are 27 references about the Hubble Space Telescope project. Included are nontechnical books, nontechnical articles, and technical articles. (CW)

Reports on some of the discoveries over the last quarter century regarding quasars including spectra and energy sources, formation and evolution, and cosmological probes. Describes some of the fundamental mysteries that remain. (CW)

Describes the use of spectroscopy and the redshift to measure how far an object is by measuring how fast it is receding from earth. Lists the most distant quasars yet found. Tables include "Redshift vs. Distance" and "Distances to Celestial Objects for Various Cosmologies." (CW)

The science of telemetry is described. Examples from a variety of unmanned space probes are provided. A list of the brief history of pictures from 1973-89 is presented. (CW)