SKETCHES IN THE HISTORY OF METEORITICS 1: THE BIRTH OF THE SCIENCE

The change of opinion concerning the stories of stones falling from the sky that took place around 1800 is examined. The meteorite literature during and after 1803 shows that a decisive role was played by the chemists Howard, Vauquelin, Fourcroy, and Klaproth, the importance of which exceeded that of J.B. Biot's report on the fall of L'Aigle. Biot's report underlined the change of opinion brought about by the chemical work. The importance of chemistry at this stage probably had a considerable influence on the history and possibly even the present nature of meteoritics.     

SKETCHES IN THE HISTORY OF METEORITICS 2: THE EARLY CHEMICAL AND MINERALOGICAL WORK

The chemical and mineralogical work on meteorites over the period 1800 to 1840 is reviewed. The number of elements known to be present in meteorites rose from six to 19. Chemical techniques advanced rapidly so that by 1815 the procedure was essentially that of modern wet chemical analysts: removal of the magnetic material, dissolution of the acid-soluble portion and fusion of the remainder with alkali. After Bournon's work in 1802 much mineralogical progress was made during the 1820's, notably by G. Rose. Berzelius made important contributions by his own analyses and synthesis of the work of others. By 1840 ordinary chondrites, carbonaceous chondrites, plagioclase-pyroxene achondrites, Chassigny, pallasites and octahedrites could all be distinguished     

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中国科学院紫金山天文台受江苏省科工委、江苏省科技信息中心委托研制的天文数据库,是省科技信息网的重要组成部分。该信息网包括工业、农业、土壤、地理等较为全面的科技信息,将于年底全面开通。天文数据库已于十月中旬上网。它包括了阴阳历对照、行星特殊天象、太阳、恒星、人造地球卫星等方面的内容。用ＦｏｘＰｒｏ５ ．０ 建立的天文数据库管理系统,包括了成百个数据库表,数据量５ 兆左右,记录约为５ 万余条。天体力学部和天体物理部等有关部门,在提供数据方面,给予了大力支持,在此一并表示感谢。