Ahrens, T.J. & Harris, A.W. (1992) Nature, 360 , 429-433, "Deflection and fragmentation of near-Earth asteroids" Fairly technical
Alvarez, L.W., Alvarez, W., Asaro, F., & Michel, H.V. (1980) Science, 208 , 1095-1108, "Extraterrestrial cause for the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction?" This is the original paper which proposed a comet/asteroid impact as the cause of the K/T mass extinctions 65 million years ago .
Alvarez, W. and F. Asaro (1990) Sci. Amer., 263 , (4), 76-84, "What caused mass extinctions? An extraterrestrial impact" This is part of a debate (see also following article) regarding the evidence for an extraterrestrial impact as the cause of the demise of the dinosaur and many other species.
Beatty, J.K. (1993) Sky & Telescope, 86, (1), 18-24, "Meteorite man: Robert Hagg". Meteorite collecting has become a big business, especially in the United States. This provides a profile of one of the most famous (infamous?) commercial meteorite collectors: Robert Hagg .
Berry, R. (1987) Astronomy, 15 , (6), 6-22, "Search for the primitive" An account of the interesting organic content found in the fluffy particles from Comet Halley.
Bone, N. (1993) Meteors (Cambridge, MA: Sky Publishing) ISBN 0-933346-67-0 This readable book provides a practical guide to observational meteor astronomy .
Chapman, C.R. & Morrison, D. (1994) Nature, 367 , 33-40, "Impacts on the Earth by asteroids and comets: assessing the hazard"
Chyba, C. (1993) Astronomy , 21 , (12) 38-45 "Death from the sky" An interesting account of the Tunguska 1908 impact event, and consideration of the probability of impacts of various magnitude .
Cunningham, C.J. (1988) Introduction to Asteroids (Richmond VA: Willmann-Bell Inc.) ISBN 0-943396-16-6 QB377.C86 This readable and comprehensive book provides an excellent overview of the field of asteroids - highly recommended .
Di Cicco, D., Robinson, L.J. (1996) Sky & Telescope May, 1996, 28-33, "Comet photography for everyone" Practical advice for photographing comets - easier than you might think.
Dickinson, T. (1994) Equinox May/June, 1994, 65-76 "The big hit" This is a readable account of current thinking regarding comet/asteroid impacts and mass extinctions .
Dickinson, T. (1995) Canadian Geographic , May/June, 31-40 "It came from outer space" This is primarily an account of the June 1994 St-Robert, QC meteorite fall, although it contains lots of readable background information on meteorites in general, written from a Canadian perspective .
Dickinson, T. (1995) Sky News , 1 , (3), 18-20, "Kuiper comet belt confirmed". This article covers the recent evidence for the Kuiper belt of comets just outside Neptune, and the Canadian astronomer Martin Duncan who played a key role in that research .
Dietz, R.S. (1991) Astronomy, 19 , (7), 30-37, "Demise of the dinosaurs: A mystery solved?" Reviews the evidence that the Chicxulub crater in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico is the remnants of the impact which caused mass extinctions about 65 million years ago.
Gallant, R.A. (1994) Sky & Telescope, 87, (6), 38-43, "Journey to Tunguska". This article provides a description of the destruction caused by the impact of a small comet or asteroid in the Tunguska region of Siberia in 1908. Excellent pictures .
Gehrels, T. (1996) Sci. Amer., 274, (3),54-59, "Collisions with comets and asteroids".
Grieve, R.A.F. (1990) Sci. Amer., 262 , (4), 44-51, "Impact cratering on the Earth"
Hartmann, W.K. (1975) Sci. Amer., 233 , (3), 142-159, "The smaller bodies of the solar sytem" A somewhat dated, but clear and descriptive, article about the asteroids and other small bodies.
Hildebrand, A.R. (1993) J. Roy. Astr. Soc. Canada, 87 , 77-118, "The Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary impact (or the dinosaurs didn't have a chance)" This article, written by the Canadian scientist who located the crater believed to be a remnant from the impact which destoryed the dinosaur and many other species 65 million years ago, provides a detailed account of the evidence for that impact .
Jenish, D. (1994) Maclean's, 107 , (29), "Comet chaser" A profile of Canada's most famous and prolific comet finder - David Levy.
Kronk, G.W. (1984) Comets: A Descriptive Catalog (Hillside NJ: Enslow Publishers Inc.) ISBN 0-89490-071-4 QB 722 K76This book provides a detailed historical account of comet apparitions. The complete text is currently available on the Internet (see WWW page for this course - WWW Astronomical Resources) .
Kronk, G.W. (1988) Meteor Showers: A Descriptive Catalog (Hillside NJ: Enslow Publishers Inc.) ISBN 0-89490-072-2 QB471.K76 This text provides a detailed historical account for a large number of major and minor meteor showers. It is arranged by month of peak activity. While now out of print, the complete text is currently available on the Internet (see WWW page for this course - WWW Astronomical Resources) .
Levy, D.H. (1994) J. Roy. Astr. Soc. Canada, 88, 5-23, "The art of comet hunting: Part II" Written by Canada's most prolific and famous comet hunter, who has discovered or co-discovered 21 comets.
MacRobert, A.M. (1988) Sky & Telescope , 76 , 131-133, "Meteor Observing I" An excellent account of how to get started in meteor observing.
MacRobert, A.M. (1988) Sky & Telescope , 76 , 363-365, "Meteor Observing II" How to do meteor trail plotting, and accurate magnitude estimates.
Morrison, D. (1995) Astronomy, 23 , (10), 34-41, "Target: Earth" This article deals with the probability that a comet or asteroid will impact earth and destroy civilization .
Napier, W.M. & Clube, S.V.M. (1979) Nature, 282 , 455-459, "A theory of terrestrial catastrophism" The first paper to link the motion of the solar system through the plane of the galaxy with periodic episodes of higher than usual impacts by comets.
Rao, J. (1995) Sky & Telescope, 90 , (5), 24-31 "The Leonids: King of the meteor showers" This article outlines the history of this remarkable meteor shower, and the predictions for a meteor storm in the years 1997-2001 .
Sagan, C., Ostro, S. (1994) Nature, 369, 501-502, "Dangers of asteroid deflection" Concerned with potential danger of attempts to deflect an asteroid using nuclear means.
Spratt, C.E. (1989) Astronomy, 17 , (8), 70-76, On the trail of a meteorite" An excellent introduction to meteorite identification and study, by a Canadian author.
Spratt, C.E. (1991) J. Roy. Astr. Soc. Canada, 85 , 263-280, "Possible hazards of meteorite falls". This interesting article looks at probability of buildings and people being struck by meteorites .
Spratt, C. & Stephens, S. (1992) Mercury, 21 , 50-56, "Against all odds: Meteorites that have struck home"
Stern, A. (1994) Astronomy, 22 , (8), 26-33, "Chiron: Interloper from the Kuiper Disk?" Originally this object was considered a minor planet, but then it expressed some cometary characteristics. It may well be an example of the Kuiper Belt comet clouds .
Whipple, F.L. (1980) Sci. Amer., 242 , (3), 124-132, "The spin of comets" This article, by the scientist who developed the "dirty snowball" theory of comet formation, provides an account of how slight irregularities in orbital periods could be accounted for by evaporating gases from the comet nucleus .
Whipple, F.L. (1985) The Mystery of Comets (Washington DC: Smithsonian Institution Press). This very readable account of cometary science, written by probably the most respected cometary scientist of all time, provides a wealth of information about comets .