In this post, we will see the book The Minor Planet by F. Zigel.
About the book
Studies of the asteroids and their relationship to meteroids and comets are discussed, and details are given on the more interesting asteroids. Direct astronomical observation and laboratory data on meteorites, singly and in combination, are used to study the asteroids. The real and apparent motion and orbits are described, along with asteroid family identification and the three-body problem. The characteristics are given of the Trojan group, Eros, Ganymede and its group, Hidalgo, Icarus, and the Amor, Apollo, Adonis, and Hermes group. the small bodies in the solar system are identified as asteroids, comets, and products of their destruction (meteorites, meteoric bodies, and cosmic dust), and their physical characteristics and composition are outlined. The composition of tektites and locations of discovery are discussed, and it is felt that they are most likely to be glassy meteorites. The hypothetical planet Phaeton is also considered and it is pointed out that the problem of the origin of the asteroid belt is still unsolved.
Where did that group of minor planets come from, revolving around the Sun between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter? Are the minor planets related to the meteorites that strike the Earth? What role could the minor planets play in the plans for the conquest of space? These are a few of the questions discussed in this book by F. Yu. Zigel.
The reader will also learn about the history of the study of asteroids, modern methods of investigating them, and about some of the interesting minor planets— Icarus, Hermes, Eros and others.
The book was translated to English from the Russian “Malyye Planety” Nauka Press, Moscow, 1969 by NASA in 1972.
Note: There are many translations of space-technology and astronomy/astrophysics related Russian books done under Technical Translations of NASA Technical Documents. Do explore this collection.
Bonus: These two articles may be of interest in the same subject area
Meteors – Development of Meteoric Astronomy in the USSR by S. Levin
Sputniks and Meteors by B. Levin
The above two articles are part of Defense Technical Information Archive which also has loads of translations from Russian sources.
Contents
ASTEROIDS – THEIR SIGNIFICANCE TODAY 1
SOME HISTORY 4
METHODS OF STUDYING THE MINOR PLANETS 15
THE MOTION AND ORBITS OF THE ASTEROIDS 23
IMPORTANT ASTEROIDS 29
THE PHYSICAL NATURE OF THE MINOR PLANETS 38
SMALL BODIES IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM 49
ASTEROIDS IN THE LABORATORY 64
THE ENIGMA OF TEKTITES 77
WAS THERE EVER A PLANET PHAETON? 83
ASTEROIDS AND ASTRONAUTICS 99
REFERENCES 102
Mir Books 