Meteorites are interesting. Who would dare claim otherwise? Anyone who has found themselves checking out an episode of Meteorite Men on the Science Channel will definitely want to increase their knowledge of these chunks of extraterrestrial stone and metal.
It would be difficult to find a more qualified cadre of authors to write on the subject of meteorites. Meteorites is written by three experts in the field. Dr. Smith is Curator of Meteorites at The Natural History Museum (London); Dr. Russel is head of the Meteoritics and Cosmic Mineralogy Department at the museum; and, Dr. Benedix is a researcher there.
Meteoroid, Meteor or Meteorite?
The book begins with an overview of the naming and classification of the rocky and metallic objects that orbit the sun. Space rocks are classified on whether or not they enter the Earth's atmosphere and make it all the way to the surface, as well as their chemical composition and physical structure. All is explained in plain easy to understand language.
Meteorites, History, and Astronomy
Interestingly, meteorites were once considered rather mundane and it took some doing before it became generally accepted that they were of extraterrestrial origin. The provided history of the observation and study of meteorites is fascinating. Has anyone ever been killed by a meteorite? The authors answer this question too.
Much has been learned from meteorites about how the solar system and where meteorites come from. It is amazing really the amount of data that can be collected from a meteorite and the inferences that can be made after analyzing the data. The wonder and mystery of the Universe is clearly brought into focus by the study of meteorites and their parent bodies.
Comets and Other Things Too
The book diverges a bit from the central topic to discuss some other cosmic phenomena that are closely allied with meteorites. Comets of course are a natural since the named meteor showers that occur regularly on Earth are have their source in comet tail debris. Some general information on the formation of stars and planets, the birth of the solar system, and the origin of the Moon, are introduced at appropriate places in the text.
Anyone with a strong urge to know the difference between an angrite and an aubrite meteorite will find satisfaction here. Or, if a general not-too-technical overview of how rocks from space arrive on the Earth is the goal, Meteorites does an excellent job of meeting that need as well.
The inclusion of excellent photographs and mostly easy to understand graphs round out the presentation nicely. There is much to know and learn about meteorites, and this book is a great place to start.
References
Meteorites; Caroline Smith, Sara Russell and Gretchen Benedix; Firefly Books/Natural History Museum; London, UK: 2009
Philip McIntosh - The author holds a B.Sc. in Botany and Chemistry and an M.A in Biology and he has thirty + years of experience in science and industry.
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