Rocks from Space: Meteorites and Meteorite Hunters, by O. Richard Norton (Second Edition)

Rocks from Space is one of the most complete and readable introductions to meteorites ever written for a general audience, and it has remained a go-to reference for collectors, hunters, educators and astronomy enthusiasts. Norton takes the reader from the origins of meteorites in the early solar system through their passage through the atmosphere, the physics of fireballs and strewn fields, and the formation of impact craters. Along the way he explains how meteorites are classified, covering the stony, iron and stony-iron groups as well as tektites and impactites, and why those differences matter to scientists and collectors.

The book is equally strong on the human side of the hobby. Norton profiles the dealers, researchers and field hunters who have shaped meteoritics, and he tells the stories of famous falls and finds in a way that makes the science easy to follow. The second edition is expanded and updated, with extensive photographs and illustrations that help with identification, along with practical guidance on hunting for meteorites, telling them apart from meteor-wrongs, and buying and building a collection with confidence.

Whether you are holding your first chondrite or cataloguing a serious collection, this is a book you will keep coming back to. It makes a great companion to any meteorite purchase and a thoughtful gift for the science-minded.