Meteorites

When sky conditions or circumstances preclude observing, I have found that meteorites are wonderful items for astronomy outreach. My meteorite collection started in 2010 with a (very generous) gift of a Seymchan pallasite slice and has now expanded to more than 250 specimens.

Getting Started

Before you spend a lot of money on meteorites, I recommend that you learn something about these "visitors from space." A number of meteorite dealer sites have good information for the beginning collector. Eric Twelker's Learn about Meteorites page is a well-organized place to start, as is Jim Tobin's write-up for The Meteorite Exchange's homepage.

You should also get and read a good book on meteorites. Field Guide to Meteors and Meteorites by O. Richard Norton and Lawrence A. Chitwood is comprehensive and one of the best.