Meteorites

[Turtle]

Heads up its the Leonids this weekend :)

 

 

Check this!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_Space_Surveillance_System

 

BRB with a link so you can listen to live radar pinging space rocks, including Leonids.

 

Here we go: http://www.roswellastronomyclub.com/radio_meteors.htm

I just realized it's tonight! Going to se up infrared video cam if I have clear sky.

[Jay-qu]

I remember watching it a few years ago and seeing a couple a minute :) best one I have ever seen.

[moo]

So, if you re-discover your rock, consider cutting it open, or otherwise getting its secrets out. Depending on where you found it, it may be part of a known fall, which as I have said adds to its value both monetarily and scientifically.

I found it in north Texas, about 3 miles southwest of Denison. Not related to any finds I know of, my folks owned 140 acres there at the time.

 

I'd probably rather have it intact than cut it open, chances are slim I'll ever find another one (lol, and I still have to find that one again...).

 

Btw, what exactly would one expect to find by cutting open a meteor that small?

 

moo

[Turtle]

I found it in north Texas, about 3 miles southwest of Denison. Not related to any finds I know of, my folks owned 140 acres there at the time.

I'll scout around, as I once had a link for known falls.

 

Btw, what exactly would one expect to find by cutting open a meteor that small?

 

moo

 

Why the inside structure of course. :) But joking aside, that is why they are cut, i.e. to examine the interior structure as an aide to identifying the minerals as well as to see layering due to melting which gives clues to the speed of the meteor, its original size, and the meteorites 'Earth age'. I have seen some types of high metal content meteorites that have been etched with acid which reveals a distinct crytaline structure found only in meteorites.(Will look for links on that as I forget the exact terms.)

Another reason for cutting is to divide a specimen for sale. :)

[moo]

Cool. Thanks. :)

 

moo

[Turtle]

Cool. Thanks. :)

 

moo

 

Here's a bit on the etched patterns:

Widmanstätten patterns

 

Since nickel-iron crystals grow to lengths of several centimeters only when the molten metal cools slowly (over several million years), the presence of these patterns can be used to determine if a piece of iron is from a meteorite (as opposed to terrestrial in origin).

 

Here's one Texas fall:

Bells 1961 Sep 9 United States Texas C2 ungrouped

Here's the list I mentioned:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteorite_falls

[moo]

Good info, thanks. I'm guessing Bells is around 15 or 20 miles from where I lived though.

 

A link on iron meteorites (from the "Widmanstätten patterns" page you provided):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_meteorite

 

And here's a nice one on the 66 ton "Hoba" meteorite with a pic and some interesting info (from the "iron meteorite" page):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoba_meteorite

 

Excerpt: "The meteorite is unusual in that it is flat on both major surfaces, possibly causing it to have skipped across the top of the atmosphere in the way a flat stone skips on water."

 

Amazing. :)

 

moo

[Cedars]

Might help someone find a strike near home

 

http://www.meteoritearticles.com/newspaper1900archive.html

[moo]

Nice! The homepage to that site also has meteor photo galleries and FAQs. B)

 

http://www.meteoritearticles.com/home.html

 

moo

[Cedars]

Fascinating!

 

I found what I presume to be a small meteorite as a kid (should still have it somewhere, not sure).

 

If memory serves correctly, it's about an inch across, perfectly round (except for what looks like a small "nipple" attached), and really heavy for its size. It's sort of a rusty brown color with a grainy (almost crystalline) surface. By it's weight and color, I'm guessing it's mostly iron.

 

Nothing spectacular, just thought I'd mention it. B)

 

moo

 

A friend thought she had found a meteor. After talking me into driving her to the U of MN with her little red wagon full of rocks (seriously), we were told (by the nicest young man who must have laughed hysterically after we left) the very heavy round ball of something was most likely an old cannon ball. He basically said that a meteor of that size would have been much heavier and there was a possiblity that neither of us could have lifted it off the floor. He didnt know if he would have had the strength to pick up a rock that size.

 

I wonder if that nipple you describe is from a metal mold.

 

He did offer my friend some clues for meteor identification and showed us examples. The easiest way to start identification is to scrape/chip off the rust and see if its very shiny steel under it. The slivers of meteor on display were amazingly shiny, like stainless steel, under the crusty outside.

[moo]

I wonder if that nipple you describe is from a metal mold.

I don't think so, but anything's possible. The "nipple" is dome shaped and probably 1/4 inch or so across and extends perhaps a little less than that. Seems like that's a pretty good sized casting wart for a 1 inch ball, and it's definitely not lead (i.e. from a bullet mold).

 

The thing just looked like an odd shaped rock when I picked it up, and one reason I kept it (rather than seeing how far I could throw it) was its weight. And btw if I remember correctly, it's rust colored, not rust covered.

 

Guess I should try to find it sometime in the next few days. B)

 

moo

[Turtle]

The "nipple" is dome shaped and probably 1/4 inch or so across and extends perhaps a little less than that. Seems like that's a pretty good sized casting wart for a 1 inch ball, and it's definitely not lead (i.e. from a bullet mold).

 

The thing just looked like an odd shaped rock when I picked it up, and one reason I kept it (rather than seeing how far I could throw it) was its weight. And btw if I remember correctly, it's rust colored, not rust covered.

 

Guess I should try to find it sometime in the next few days. B)

 

moo

 

Ohhhhh goody! Meteorites take many shapes, and the little protrusion may be indicative of the orientation of the stone as it fell, i.e. either the leading or trailing end.

It seems there as many descriptive terms for meteorites as there are meteorites! Scroll down on this link to see some 'bumpy' Antartic meteorites, cut open and showing the Widmanstätten patterns.

http://curator.jsc.nasa.gov/antmet/amn/amnaug04/petdes2.htm

:coffee:

[Jay-qu]

I think I actually saw some of the Leonids last night! Either that or I had a few to many B) :lol:

[moo]

Great pics Turtle. :)

 

I think I actually saw some of the Leonids last night! Either that or I had a few to many :( :lol:

Were you perhaps drinking these? :D

 

"Southern Bound Meteor"

 

* 1 Cherry without stem

* 1/2 oz Southern Comfort

* 1/2 oz Goldschlager

* Float 1 splash 151 proof rum

 

Use a large shot glass. Remove stem from cherry and drop in glass. Pour in Southern Comfort and Goldschlager. Carefully float in a splash of 151 Rum. With a cigarette lighter ignite 151 Rum on fire and serve. Put out fire before drinking.

http://www.webtender.com/db/drink/5485

 

moo :(

[Cedars]

 

And btw if I remember correctly, it's rust colored, not rust covered.

 

rust COLORED oh my... :(

 

Nevermind....

[Jay-qu]

Put out fire before drinking.

 

:hyper:

 

no wasnt drinking those.. dont think I would want to try them in a hurry!

[Turtle]

News from the world of meteorites: Ore. Indian tribe upset over sale of sacred meteorite | Local News | kgw.com | News for Oregon and SW Washington

...The piece of the Willamette is the biggest draw at the upcoming auction of meteorites and related memorabilia at the Bonhams auction house. The meteorite is the largest ever discovered in North America and boasts a contentious history since its discovery in 1902. ...

 

I think I'll check the battery in my metal detector. :bow_flowers: