Asteroids
Astronomical and Geological Bodies

An overview of asteroid science, summarising the astronomical and geological characteristics of asteroids, for students and researchers.

Thomas H. Burbine (Author)

9781107096844, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 15 December 2016

394 pages, 108 b/w illus. 29 colour illus. 37 tables 80 exercises
25.3 x 17.9 x 2.3 cm, 0.98 kg

'… an excellent reference for readers interested in space rocks either out of professional or personal curiosity. It prepares the readers with the basics such that results obtained from space missions like Dawn, the first to visit a dwarf planet (Ceres); Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous Shoemaker, the first to land on an asteroid (Eros); Hayabusa, the first to return samples of an asteroid (Itokawa); Galileo and others can be interpreted and understood. … It is not all academic but conveys general knowledge as well. For instance, do the readers know that the iron used to make the dagger found in the tomb of Tutankhamun is meteoritic?' B. Ishak, Contemporary Physics

Asteroid science is a fundamental topic in planetary science and is key to furthering our understanding of planetary formation and the evolution of the Solar System. Ground-based observations and missions have provided a wealth of new data in recent years, and forthcoming missions promise further exciting results. This accessible book presents a comprehensive introduction to asteroid science, summarising the astronomical and geological characteristics of asteroids. The interdisciplinary nature of asteroid science is reflected in the broad range of topics covered, including asteroid and meteorite classification, chemical and physical properties of asteroids, observational techniques, cratering, and the discovery of asteroids and how they are named. Other chapters discuss past, present and future space missions and the threat that these bodies pose for Earth. Based on an upper-level course on asteroids and meteorites taught by the author, this book is ideal for students, researchers and professional scientists looking for an overview of asteroid science.

Preface
Acknowledgments
List of symbols and abbreviations
1. Light and magnitude
2. Orbits and discovering minor planets
3. Meteorites, minerals, and isotopes
4. Reflectance spectroscopy and asteroid taxonomy
5. Physical properties and families
6. Comets and outer Solar System bodies
7. Near-Earth asteroids and the impact threat
8. Spacecraft missions
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Earth sciences [RB], Solar system: the Sun & planets [PGS], Astronomical observation: observatories, equipment & methods [PGG], Mathematics [PB]