Just a quick heads up about an interesting new TV series that’s currently airing on Tuesdays at 10pm* on the UK Freeview television channel Quest (Freeview channel 38). It’s called Meteorite Men and follows expert meteorite hunters Steve Arnold and Geoff Notkin as they search the US countryside for pieces of Solar System debris that have fallen to Earth.
I caught the second episode by chance last week and I really enjoyed it. It turns out following the ups and downs of a meteorite hunt makes for really exciting television! The show has a great Mythbusters feel about it, by which I mean you actually learn quite a lot and it’s genuinely fun to watch. I’m not sure exactly how many episodes this series has but I hope it continues; I imagine it’ll get a lot of people interested in astronomy. With an estimated upper total of 7300kg of 10g-1kg sized meteorites falling on the Earth each year there’s certainly scope for another few series!
*Update: I’ve just seen that the show is also on Quest on Mondays at 9pm.
Update no.2: Tavi Greiner mentions in the comments that an interview she & Rob Keown did with Geoff of the Meteorite Men is available on their blog here: http://blog.askyfullofstars.com/2010/03/of-fusion-crusts-and-strewn-fields/
Dear Will:
Many thanks for watching “Meteorite Men” and for the favorable review. I grew up in Purley, Surrey, so I am delighted to know that we’re now airing “back home.”
“Meteorite Men” Season One consists of six one-hour episodes, plus the pilot. Of the seven programmes, six were filmed in the USA and one in Canada.
I hope you continue to enjoy the series, and we are very grateful for your support and interest.
Yours respectfully,
Geoff of Meteorite Men
http://www.meteoritemen.com
http://www.twitter.com/meteoritemen
Many of us U.S. “spacetweeps” are huge fans of the Meteorite Men. I’m so pleased to hear that their series is now available in the U.K.!
My colleague, Rob Keown, and I recently interviewed Geoffrey Notkin (the “scientist” half of the duo) for AFM*Radio. He is such an enthusiastic and generous person – we learned a great deal during our conversation with him. For those who are interested in listening, the podcast version is available at http://blog.askyfullofstars.com/2010/03/of-fusion-crusts-and-strewn-fields/
Hi Geoff!
Thanks so much for stopping by and giving that extra info. That means we’re about half way through the series here in the UK. You were at Odessa Meteor Crater last night! :-)
Tavi, thanks for that, I’ve updated the post to include that link.
All the best,
Will