These are some great books to get you started
Field Guide to Meteors and Meteorites
Is a great book for collectors that are just starting out and gives a nice overview of everything about collecting and searching for meteorites. It also goes in depth in a lot of topics and offers simple ways to test potential meteorites. From the reviews: The average age of most meteorites is 4.6 billion years. … This groundbreaking book … 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. … it is equally suited to beginner and expert with well-illustrated page-by-page descriptions of each meteorite sub-type. … 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 … 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 mineral glossary and references (print and online) supplement the text. … 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 wonderful segment is included on what meteorites look like in thin section and it is a glorious world indeed. … 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) Rocks from Space: Meteorites and Meteorite HuntersIs a guide by the same author and goes more in depth for the avid collector and also has much more detailed information and over 200 photos.
From the reviews: This popular guide to cosmic debris introduces the fascinating world of meteorites, asteroids, comets, and impact craters. With more than 50 new photographs and updated illustrations, new and expanded appendixes, and some fun cosmic humor, Rocks from Space, Second Edition, journeys into the last frontier for close-up looks at the latest astronomical discoveries. What's So Mysterious About Meteorites? (What's So Cool About Geology) (Paperback)
O. Richard Norton and Dorothy Sigler Norton have been working with meteorites for several decades and have written multiple excellent books. Their books Rocks from Space and Field guide to Meteors and Meteorites have been the bread and butter of meteorite hunters/collectors since their publication. I recently finished this book and its a simplified introductory version of the more advanced 200-300 page books aforementioned. At a little less than 100 pages it goes straight to the need-to-know interesting facts about meteorites. It includes everything from their origin to collecting and searching for them. To the advanced collector its a quick read but there are always a few things to learn. It includes some of the pictures from their other books but it also has many more recent meteorite stories and pictures. Excellent read, buy it for yourself or your kids and beware meteorite collecting is extremely addictive. |
You can purchase these books directly from amazon using these links
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