Field Guide to Meteors and Meteorites (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series) (Paperback)

by O. Richard Norton (Author), Lawrence A. Chitwood (Author)
Key Phrases: secondary fusion crust, silicated irons, asteroidal achondrites, Field Guide, Solar System, Gold Basin (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
From the reviews:

"The average age of most meteorites is 4.6 billion years. a ] This groundbreaking book a ] is the most concise guide to date on every aspect of this fascinating field. The authors combine the collecting, study and hunting of meteorites with good advice on equipment and identification techniques. a ] it is equally suited to beginner and expert with well-illustrated page-by-page descriptions of each meteorite sub-type. a ] This is an impressive book containing everything you need to know about these remarkable cosmic treasures." (Mark Ford, BBC Sky at Night, September, 2008)

"This practical reference source a ] goes beyond the well-illustrated guide to help meteorite hunters identify their prize (with detailed color photos), and includes the astronomical context needed to understand meteorites and their Earth-bound predecessors, meteoroids. a ] A mineral glossary and references (print and online) supplement the text. a ] Summing Up: Recommended. General audiences and all undergraduate students." (L.R. Johnston, Choice, Vol. 46 (5), January, 2009)

"This is a magnificent book and a must for anyone who is interested in our solar system and its formation. a ] A wonderful segment is included on what meteorites look like in thin section and it is a glorious world indeed. a ] If you do, or if you wish to find you own, or if you just wish to learn more about the environment our Earth inhabits, you will want a copy of this outstanding book." (Amazon, November, 2008)

Product Description
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-analyzed 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 analyzing 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 analyze them. It is thus the only complete book on the subject available at present.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 1 edition (June 6, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1848001568
• ISBN-13: 978-1848001565
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #270,013 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recent and Comprehensive: a great guide to meteorites, July 16, 2008

By	Taylor J. Barton "Amateur Astronomer (50 years)" (Dallas, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I think Norton and Chitwood have done a great piece of work with this guide. It is very readable, but also up-to-date and comprehensive. As a collector, I find it covers the bases thoroughly. The parts describing hunting for meteorites, the tools and techniques used for determining meteorite authenticity, and the anecdotal information on hunters and various finds are a pleasant bonus I was not expecting.

But, for me personally, the biggest surprise was the information in the chapter on thin sections: From Hand Lens to Microscope. This is excellent information for anyone who wants to learn about actually analyzing meteorites. If you want to go beyond basic hunting or collecting, this is the section for you. Furthermore, the authors have representative thin section photographs of the major meteorite classes throughout the other chapters.

I like Springer as a publisher, and I think the Patrick Moore series on Practical Astronomy has been a good thing for amateur astronomy. I have about a dozen of the series titles, but this one -- in my opinion -- is a more thorough treatment of its subject than any of the others.

I also have about a dozen other books on meteorites -- some of them highly specialized (like the Color Atlas of Meteorites in Thin Section). As I'm learning more about meteoritics, I would find it hard to part with any of my books. But if I were forced to keep just one of them, this would be the one.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding overview of meteors and meteorites, November 2, 2008

By	Joel Schiff "Editor Emeritus - Meteorite maga... (Auckland, New Zealand) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a magnificent book and a must for anyone who is interested in our solar system and its formation. How do you study something that took place 4.6 billion years ago? You look at the unaltered debris that is left over from that period and fortunately for science that debris can be found on Earth in the form of meteorites. Once they are cut open, their extraterrestrial origins are betrayed and they become a history lesson to the scientists who study them. That's why this book is so important - it tells you what to look for, as most meteorites are found by amateurs - and it may as well be you. This is one of the very few areas where a non-scientist can make a real contribution to the scientific understanding of our planet's origins.

The book itself is divided into three parts. The first part is devoted to all the debris floating around the solar system, from interplanetary dust particles (IDPs), to asteroids, to meteoroids which become meteorites once they land on Earth. Meteors are the luminous phenomenon we have all witnessed in the night sky. Next comes the second and main part of the book with its description of the different classes and subclasses of meteorites, replete with color photos of whole specimens, slices, and thin sections. Every category of meteorites tells a different story that relates to the particulars of its formation. While most meteorites are of asteroidal origin, some have come from the Moon and Mars. These latter can send the heart racing if you are lucky enough to stumble upon one.

The final part of the book is about how to find meteorites and `what next?' if you think you have indeed stumbled upon one. Firstly, don't worry as they are neither hot to the touch nor are they radioactive. A gallery of `meteorwrongs' is included to show that a rock can look like a meteorite in some respects and yet sadly be terrestrial. A wonderful segment is included on what meteorites look like in thin section and it is a glorious world indeed. This is where former ugly-ducklings become superstars of science.

Not everyone knows this, but you can actually buy these extraterrestrial rocks from space (just Google `meteorites for sale'). If you do, or if you wish to find you own, or if you just wish to learn more about the environment our Earth inhabits, you will want a copy of this outstanding book. The reader should be warned though - meteorites have been found to be highly addictive. Good hunting!

5.0 out of 5 stars great overall look at meteorites, January 16, 2009

By	adam - See all my reviews

i bought this as a gift to go along with a meteorite and the person has really enjoyed it. it is written well with some good humor among the plethora of information about meteorites...it really covers all the bases and if you are going to only buy one book on this subject, this is probably it