Comets: From Halley to ISON

Comets have been a subject of fascination for mankind since it started
observing the skies. Earliest records are available from BC 200. In most of
the early human history, they have been looked upon as harbingers of
destruction. Later the scientific efforts to understand them starts from Tyco
Brahe. The history of comet studies takes almost the same route as that of
planets except for the brilliant insights of Edmond Halley . In the 20th
century Oort, Kuiper, Whipple etc. put in a lot of effort to understand
comets. In recent years there have been speculations about comets playing the
role of water bearers to planet  earth. Astronomers are expecting a recent
comet - COMET ISON - to be quite bright in this winter. There have also been
extensive campaigns in India in connection with this comet to propagate
interest in science and scientific temper.