Napoleon promoted and honored great men throughout his reign. In addition to comparing himself to various great men, he famously established a Legion of Honor on 19 May 1802 to honor both civilians and soldiers, including non-ethnically French men. Napoleon not only created an Irish Legion in 1803 and later awarded William Lawless and John Tennent the Legion of Honour; he also gave them an Eagle with the inscription “L’Indépendence d’Irlande.” He awarded twenty-six of his generals the marshal’s baton from 1804 to 1815, and in 1806, he further memorialized his soldiers by deciding to erect a Temple to the Glory of the Great Army, modeled on Ancient designs. From 1806 to 1815, Napoleon had more men interred in the Panthéon in Paris than any other French leader before or after him. In works of art depicting himself, Napoleon had his artists allude to Caesar, Charlemagne, and even Moses. Although the Romans had their legions, Pantheon, and temples in Ancient times and the French monarchy had their marshals since at least 1190, Napoleon blended both Roman and French traditions to compare himself to great men who lived in ancient and medieval times and to recognize the achievements of those who lived alongside him in the nineteenth century. Analyzing Napoleon’s ever-changing personal cult of “great men,” and his recognition of contemporary “great men” who contributed to European or even human civilization and not just French civilization, is original. While work does exist on the French cults of Greco-Roman antiquity and of “great men” prior to 1800, Napoleon appears only fleetingly in other discussions of the cult of great men. None of the bourgeoning historiography adequately takes Napoleon’s place in the story of this cult into perspective. This book serves as a further exploration of the cult of great men, including its place in Napoleonic and European history and the alleged efforts of its members to enlighten the earth.

What is unique about Richard Norton's book is that it is both a field guide to observing meteors, and also a field guide to locating, preparing and analysing meteorites. In addition to giving the reader information about observing techniques for meteors, this book also provides a fully detailed account of the types of meteorites, how and where to find them, how to prepare and analyse them. The book provides everything the amateur astronomer (or geologist!) needs to know about meteors and meteorites. It is thus the only complete book on the subject available at present.

Explore the universe and immerse yourself in the story of our solar system, planet, and life through meteorites. "Meteorite is a treasure"--Wall Street Journal Meteorites have long been seen as portents of fate and messages from the gods, their fiery remains inspiring worship and giving rise to legends that have persisted for millennia. But beyond the lore, meteorites tell an even greater story: that of our solar system. In Meteorite, geologist Tim Gregory shows that beneath the charred crusts of these celestial stones lies a staggering diversity of rock types. Their unique constituents, vibrant colors, and pungent smells contain thrilling tales of interstellar clouds, condensing stardust, and the fiery collisions of entire worlds. Gregory explores the world of meteorites to uncover new insights into what our solar system was like before our sun became a star, into the forging of our planet, and into the emergence of life on it. Humans have long looked to the skies for answers to big questions. Meteorite reveals how science is finally arriving at those answers.

Hurtling through the atmosphere, in a blaze of light and reverberating percussions, the arrival of a meteorite on Earth is a magical, rare, and precious sight. These characteristics have accordingly ensured a long, yet often controversial history. For all this, meteorites are cosmic messengers. They tell us about the entire history of the solar system, their story carrying us from the very earliest moments, when solid material first began to form in the solar nebula. Indeed, meteorites played a key role in the origins of Earth's oceans and the genesis of life. Meteorites additionally tell us about the origin and evolution of the asteroids, and they tell us about impacts upon the Moon as well as the volcanic history of planet Mars. Much is known about the structure and chemistry of meteorites, but for all this, they still harbor many scientific mysteries that have yet to be resolved.

The earth is bombarded both day and night by meteoroids and meteorites. These wayward bodies--small fragments derived from aging comets and the collisions between asteroids--are observed in the Earth’s upper atmosphere as meteors and brilliant fireballs. Written with the amateur astronomer in mind, this book includes step-by-step guidance on visual observation and analyzing data, practical projects that demonstrate how the observer can gather scientifically useful data, and instructions on how to identify and photograph meteor trails.

An account of the present knowledge about meteorites, and a discussion of what they tell us about the evolution of the solar system and life on Earth. The book is aimed at a wide readership - including secondary students, beginning geologists and general readers.

A meteor is a streak of light in the sky. It is caused by a piece of rock from space that enters Earth’s atmosphere. Learn more in Meteors, one of the titles in the All About Space Science series. This series examines the history and science of space exploration. It also delves into the careers and technological advancements associated with this exciting field of study.