Customer Reviews

Meteors and How to Observe Them (Astronomers' Observing Guides)

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METEORS AND HOW TO OBSERVE THEM is a treasure trove of information that provides the most up-to-date and complete volume of information a meteor shower observer/enthusiast could want. You won't find a better book on this subject on Amazon, guaranteed.

For example, the book starts with a very short introduction - from what meteors are to the definitions of Sporadic Meteors (e.g., random, antihellion, hellion, apex, etc.).

The next several sections cover Major Annual Showers (9), Minor Annual Showers (17), Variable Showers (11) and Daytime/Radio Showers (12).

If that wasn't enough, the latest information & research is presented on potentially new showers - a whopping 19 - that need more study and confirmation.

There is also a chapter on monthly meteor activity (sporadic/random meteors do typically vary month-by-month).

If I were to make one small complaint - and it's very, very minor - it would be that Chapter 8 (of 10 chapters) covers "how to observe" meteors. In my humble opinion, this chapter should have been in the beginning of the book - maybe after the definitions & types of meteors and before the detailed descriptions of individual meteor showers. For inexperienced observers, it seems to me they would want to know "how" to observe before learning "what" to observe. But the bottom-line: all of the information you could ever want or need is here, albeit in a slightly different order than I would have organized it.

Last but not least, the author is quite possibly the most respected American expert on meteors. He is the Coordinator of THE ASSOCIATION OF LUNAR AND PLANETARY OBSERVERS (A.L.P.O.) - METEORS SECTION (check the web site for the latest news & information).

If you are interested in observing meteors - and you're a hobbyist or amateur astronomer - this is the one and only book you need to own.

Note: Serious Meteor Observers, like those who submit detailed observations as scientific data to the AMS or IMO (American & International organizations, respectively), have journals & handbooks that would be a "step-up" from this publication. However, like my title indicates - this book is by far the best publicly available book that I have ever seen on the subject. It's one of, if not the best, title in Springer's "ASTRONOMERS' OBSERVING GUIDE" Series.

This is a very good book on how to observe meteors. The book contains some technical information about the meteor phenomenon and has detailed tables of annual meteor showers. These tables are much more comprehensive than tables that you would find in publications like the "Farmer's Alamanac."

A must buy for meteor lovers!

Meteors are Mother Nature's fascinating Fireworks, I enjoy them when driving in the countryside away from city lights, and I even plan my flights during Moonless nights and spend the whole flight observing them from the airplane's little window. As for this book, it's simply enjoyable and well presented for amateur astronomers who want to observe Meteors or just read about them. It provides a "summary" of the various types of Meteors and their activities supported by maps and pictures of what to expect; gathered in one little book. References for more complete sources are included at the end of each chapter for those who want more. It's not a book for a novice as it assumes that you have the basic knowledge of how to locate the constellations and navigate your way around the stars. Visual observations of Meteors are fun, a good pair of binoculars for clearer viewing is recommended, many tips exist in the book for an enjoyable experience. With the multitude of books about stars and deep sky objects out there, this one stands out as one of the few references for amateurs about Meteors. Enjoy!!