The Heavens on Fire: The Great Leonid Meteor StormsMeteor succeeded meteor in such rapid succession that it was impossible to count them; at times the sky seemed full of them, and the earth was illuminated as with a morning light. Eye-witness accounts such as this, and every spectacular detail of the Leonids, the greatest meteor showers of all, can be found in the acclaimed The Heavens on Fire. In this volume, author Mark Littmann vividly tells the history of meteors, and especially the Leonids, whose terrifying beauty established meteor science. He traces the history and mythology of meteors, profiles the fascinating figures whose discoveries advanced the field, and explores how meteors have changed the course of life on Earth. Crisp illustrations capture the excitement of past meteor showers and help elucidate important concepts. The returning Leonids are now reaching their peak with great activity expected in 1999 and 2000. For all those who wish to take part in this rare experience, Littmann offers advice on how and where to find the best view. Filled with practical tips, clear explanations, and descriptions of a sight that more than one observer has called "brilliant beyond conception," The Heavens on Fire will delight every reader. Mark Littmann teaches astronomy at the University of Tennessee. His previous books include Comet Halley: Once in a Lifetime and Planets Beyond: Discovering the Outer Solar System. Both books were chosen by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific as Astronomy Books of the Year. |
Contents
The night the stars fell | 1 |
Sifting | 13 |
Struggling to understand meteors | 35 |
The November meteors in history | 53 |
The critics attack | 65 |
The discovery of the August meteors | 83 |
1866 the first predicted return | 101 |
The meteorcomet connection | 117 |
New horizons in meteor science | 191 |
Surprise 1966 | 205 |
Killer comets and disasteroids | 221 |
Catch a falling star | 253 |
Prospects for 1999 and 2000 | 269 |
The journey of a meteoroid | 301 |
Glossary | 313 |
| 321 | |
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Common terms and phrases
Adolphe Quetelet altitude American Journal annual meteor showers appeared Astronomische Nachrichten August meteors author given body calculated celestial century Chladni Comet Biela Comet Tempel-Tuttle comet's orbit comets and asteroids debris December Denison Olmsted distance dust Earth Earth's atmosphere Earth's orbit Elias Loomis falling stars fireball gravity Halley heavens Herrick Hubert January Journal of Science Jupiter kilometers Kuiper Belt Leonid meteor storms Leonid storm meteor observations meteor particles meteor science meteor storm meteor stream meteorites meteoroids meteors an hour miles million Moon near-Earth Newton night node November 13 November meteors object Observatory Olivier Olmsted's Oort Cloud passed path perihelion period Perseid planetesimals planets published Quetelet radiant radio reported Schiaparelli Science and Arts scientific scientists seen shooting stars skies solar system space speed swarm tail telescope tion Tom Gehrels trails traveling University Uranus vaporize velocity volume watch wrote Yale Yeomans York zodiacal light
References to this book
A History of Physical Theories of Comets, From Aristotle to Whipple Tofigh Heidarzadeh Limited preview - 2008 |