Meteoroids and Meteors – Observations and Connection to Parent Bodies.

Meteoroid are a small rocky bodies traveling through interplanetary space. Meteors are phenomena caused by the interaction of meteoroids with the Earth΄s upper atmosphere. In this chapter the author, will briefly discuss observational methods and then concentrate on optical observations of meteors. First, the basic properties of meteor phenomenon in the atmosphere and classification of meteoroids are introduced and then coincidental phenomena, e.g., wake, jets, and train, are mentioned. Scientific observations (imaging and spectroscopy) carried out using various observational techniques allow measuring characteristics of meteoroids, e.g., orbits, density, strength, compositions. All information are potentially useful for investigating parent bodies of meteoroids, such as comets and asteroids. Searching for organics-related CHON and water in meteoroids is of particular interest for astrobiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]