David Levy's Guide to Observing Meteor Showers

by David H. Levy

• ISBN13: 9780521696913
• ISBN10: 0521696917
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-12-17
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

Meteors occur when a meteoroid, a speck of dust in space, enters the Earth's atmosphere. The heat generated when this happens causes the surrounding air to glow, resulting in 'shooting stars'. During the most spectacular meteor storms larger particles give rise to fireballs and firework-like displays! Meteors are a delightful observing field - they do not require a telescope, and they can be seen on any clear night of the year, even in bright twilight. It was the sight of a single meteor that inspired David Levy to go into astronomy, and in this book he encourages readers to go outside and witness these wonderful events for themselves. This book is a step-by-step guide to observing meteors and meteor showers. Any necessary science is explained simply and in clearly understandable terms. This is a perfect introduction to observing meteors, and is ideal for both seasoned and budding astronomers.

Author Biography

DAVID H. LEVY is one of the most successful comet discoverers in history. He has discovered 22 comets, nine of them using his own backyard telescopes. Together with Eugene and Carolyn Shoemaker at the Palomar Observatory in California he discovered Shoemaker-Levy 9, the comet that collided with Jupiter in 1994 producing the most spectacular explosions ever witnessed in the solar system. He is involved with the Jarnac Comet Survey, and is Science Editor for Parade magazine, and contributing editor for Sky and Telescope. He has been awarded five honorary doctorates, and asteroid 3673 (Levy) was named in his honor. His other recent books include David Levy's Guide to Observing and Discovering Comets and David Levy's Guide to Variable Stars (both Cambridge University Press).

Table of Contents

Preface	p. ix
July 4, 1956	p. 1
What is a meteor?	p. 5
Some historical notes	p. 10
Small rocks and dust in space	p. 18
Observing meteors	p. 27
Recording meteors	p. 38
A New Year gift: the Quadrantids	p. 48
The Lyrids - an April shower	p. 53
The Eta Aquarids	p. 58
The Omicron Draconids, continued	p. 63
The Delta Aquarids	p. 68
Tears of St. Lawrence: Perseid trails and trials	p. 72
The August Pavonids	p. 77
The Orionids	p. 81
The Taurids	p. 86
The Leonids	p. 90
The Geminids	p. 96
The Ursids	p. 100
A catalog of meteor showers throughout the year	p. 103
Appendix	p. 125
Index	p. 126
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