Atlas of Earth's Meteor Showers

The International Astronomical Union formalized the naming of meteor showers in 2006, and Atlas of Earth's Meteor Showers takes stock of all reported detections by going back to the combined video and radar data at the end of 2021. Maps were created that show the direction of motion of meteors during 5-day and 10-day intervals throughout the year, and physical properties of the meteoroids were derived from their beginning, peak, and end height, deceleration in Earth's atmosphere, and spectroscopic information. A brief history is given of the shower's discovery, when features were first recognized, and results from dynamical modeling.

Format: Hardback
Length: 838 pages
Publication date: 24 October 2023
Publisher: Elsevier - Health Sciences Division

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) established a standardized system for naming meteor showers in 2006. Since then, each newly discovered shower has been assigned a unique and officially recognized name, number, and three-letter code. Over a thousand possible meteor showers have been reported to date, with over a hundred being documented in this book.

The Atlas of Earth's Meteor Showers takes a comprehensive look at all reported detections by compiling video and radar data from the end of 2021. This process aims to eliminate duplicates and false detections, providing a reliable inventory of recognized showers.

Maps are created to depict the direction of motion of meteors (their radiant) over 5-day and 10-day intervals throughout the year. Each of the over 500+ showers recognized is briefly described, including information on their radiant, speed, orbital elements, and meteoroid mass distribution index. Physical properties of the meteoroids, such as their beginning, peak, and end height, deceleration in Earth's atmosphere, and spectroscopic information, are derived from this data.

Candidate parent bodies for each shower are mentioned, and the age of the stream is calculated based on dispersions in orbital elements and the meteor magnitude distribution index. A brief history of the shower's discovery, the initial recognition of features, and results from dynamical modeling are provided, with references to relevant literature.

The IAU's naming system for meteor showers has greatly enhanced our understanding and appreciation of these celestial phenomena. It has also facilitated scientific research and collaboration among astronomers worldwide. As our knowledge of meteor showers continues to grow, we can expect to discover more fascinating details about these awe-inspiring displays of cosmic beauty.

Weight: 1850g
Dimension: 187 x 264 x 46 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780443235771