# Looking for a non-fiction book for teens about comets **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [January 19, 2024, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-non-fiction-book-for-teens-about-comets/996357 "2024-01-19T23:39:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2024, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-non-fiction-book-for-teens-about-comets/996357/1 "2024-01-19T23:39:18Z")
When I was in high school in the very early 1980s I read a book from the 1960s or 1970s (probably) about comets: what was known about their composition, the history of people understanding them, how they were associated with meteor showers, etc. There was a chapter about orbital elements and a few chapters about famous comets (Encke, Halley, etc.). I _thought_ it was called something like “The Care and Feeding of Comets” but since there are pet fish called comets, I’m out of luck searching for that title. Anyone remember it, or have a suggestion about a good way to find it? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2024, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-non-fiction-book-for-teens-about-comets/996357/2 "2024-01-19T23:47:55Z")
When were you in high school? That would tell us, regardless of when you think the book is from, the latest it could be from. I found this one, but it’s from 1985. > **[The Comet and You: Edwin C. Krupp, Robin Rector Krupp: 9780027512502:...](https://www.amazon.com/Comet-You-Edwin-C-Krupp/dp/0027512509)** > > The Comet and You \[Edwin C. Krupp, Robin Rector Krupp\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. The Comet and You ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2024, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-non-fiction-book-for-teens-about-comets/996357/3 "2024-01-19T23:51:07Z")
I was out of high school by 1985. I probably read the book in 1980 (I’ve updated the OP). Thanks though. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2024, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-non-fiction-book-for-teens-about-comets/996357/4 "2024-01-20T00:03:06Z")
**Isaac Asimov** wrote books on all sorts of topics in that era, including a short one about comets: **How we found out about Comets** , complete text at: > **[cometspix.pdf](https://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/cometspix.pdf)** > > 271.51 KB ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2024, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-non-fiction-book-for-teens-about-comets/996357/5 "2024-01-21T00:11:23Z")
I’d remember if it was Asimov! The book was definitely older in that style of writing that I don’t see too much of anymore - for people who don’t know much about a subject but not talking down (as I said, it had a lot of details about what “orbital elements” were). ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2024, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-non-fiction-book-for-teens-about-comets/996357/6 "2024-01-23T00:39:06Z")
P.S. Is there any search utility that will let me search by book title, that doesn’t decide it knows better than me, and give me books that don’t have the words I’m looking for in the title? ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2024, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-non-fiction-book-for-teens-about-comets/996357/7 "2024-01-24T19:29:45Z")
Are you looking for the book for nostalgic reasons or to pass it on to the next generation? If the latter, I suggest finding a newer book, since anything that old is going to be very out of date. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2024, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-non-fiction-book-for-teens-about-comets/996357/8 "2024-01-24T22:21:45Z")
Nostalgic reasons…