Field Guide to Meteors and Meteorites

by O. Richard Norton, Lawrence Chitwood

It is said that astronomy is one of the few remaining fields in which amateurs can make a real contribution to science, and nowhere is this more true than in the field of meteors and meteorites.
Although meteors are isolated and unpredictable, it is possible to predict when meteor showers - usually associated with old comets - are due; they last a couple of days, during which many meteors can be observed in a single night. Equipment for watching, counting and even measuring meteors can range from the simplest (a chair) to sophisticated all-sky cameras.
What is unique about meteors in astronomical observation is that many survive entry into the Earth's atmosphere and impact the ground - the only easily-analysed extraterrestrial material available to science.
What is unique about Richard Norton's book is that it is both a field guide to observing meteors, and also a field guide to locating, preparing and analysing meteorites. In addition to giving the reader information about observing techniques for meteors, this book also provides a fully detailed account of the types of meteorites, how and where to find them, how to prepare and analyse them. It is thus the only complete book on the subject available at present.

Genres: Science, Astronomy

302 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 2007

Reviews

[Bob King · Rating 4 out of 5]

For anyone who'd like to know about cosmic dust, asteroids and especially those black rocks from space that land on Earth every day. Well-written but superbly illustrated with photos and descriptions of the many types of meteorites. Includes a gallery of "meteorwrongs", rocks that are often mistaken for meteorites.

[Hamed Pourkhorsandi · Rating 2 out of 5]

A new book about the classification of meteorites. Very nice pictures. It's better to read more general books before starting it...