(meteorobs) FW: NJ crater in lawn Meteorite blamed

[James Beauchamp]

Looks suspect to me as well.  I'm not a forensic expert, but I'm thinking the intact roots sticking up indicate it originated from below.  It just doesn't look right for an object coming from above.

Also, it looks like this is under a tree.  If something came from above, there might be damage to the canopy.  Obviously can't see that on the picture. 

I'm thinking it was maybe a methane filled pocket such as an old manhole, abandoned gas pipe, or water-eroded sinkhole.

Isn't this fracking country?
  
Interesting indeed.


--- On Wed, 5/11/11, Jim Pettit <jimpettit at gmail.com> wrote:

> From: Jim Pettit <jimpettit at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: (meteorobs) FW: NJ crater in lawn Meteorite blamed
> To: "'Global Meteor Observing Forum'" <meteorobs at meteorobs.org>, "'drtanuki'" <drtanuki at yahoo.com>
> Date: Wednesday, May 11, 2011, 3:38 PM
> I had suspected  perhaps a
> hastily-removed tree, but I looked at the house
> in Google Earth and Bing, and see no evidence of shrubbery
> where the
> "crater" is. (Unfortunately, Google's Street-View cameras
> haven't been down
> that particular road, so Bing's bird's eye view gives the
> most detail.) I
> have no ideas what caused this, either, though I'd be
> willing to bet every
> cent I have that it isn’t meteoritic in origin. 
> 
> --Jim
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: meteorobs-bounces at meteorobs.org
> [mailto:meteorobs-bounces at meteorobs.org]
> On Behalf Of Wayne Hally
> Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2011 3:50 PM
> To: 'drtanuki'; 'Global Meteor Observing Forum'
> Subject: Re: (meteorobs) FW: NJ crater in lawn Meteorite
> blamed
> 
> Hi Dirk,
> 
> I spoke to the police captain, and he said any utilities
> such as gas or
> electric lines were fine. No explosives were detected. It
> does not look
> meteoritic to me, but I have no explanation at this point.
> The homeowner has
> contacted me (voicemail only so far, missed picking up the
> phone by 3
> seconds). I think I will be able to stop by later this week
> and take a
> closer look.
>  Also, the captain sent me some more photos, which I am
> about to look at
> now. Hopefully, some clues...
> 
> Wayne
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: drtanuki [mailto:drtanuki at yahoo.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2011 3:01 PM
> To: Global Meteor Observing Forum; Wayne Hally
> Subject: Re: (meteorobs) FW: NJ crater in lawn Meteorite
> blamed
> 
> Wayne and List,  Thank you, Wayne!  Please take a magnet
> (neodynium) along
> with you.  As I posted you privately this may be a gas
> line rupture.  I have
> contacted the reporter but have not had a reply yet except
> that she seeks
> advice about meteorites.  IF??? there was a meteorite that
> struck there it
> must have been picked up....but the persons removing the
> "meteorite" would
> have missed small fragments that would have spalled
> off.  A magnet will be
> required IF indeed it was a meteorite that cause this (I
> still smell a fish
> at this point in time).  Thank you Wayne and
> List.  IF anyone else is going
> to be involved please kindly contact me offlist. 
> Thank you!  Dirk
> Ross...Tokyo
> 
> --- On Thu, 5/12/11, Wayne Hally <meteoreye at comcast.net>
> wrote:
> 
> From: Wayne Hally <meteoreye at comcast.net>
> Subject: (meteorobs) FW: NJ crater in lawn Meteorite
> blamed
> To: meteorobs at meteorobs.org
> Date: Thursday, May 12, 2011, 3:02 AM
> 
> I have reached out to the local officials to see if the
> homeowners will
> permit me to visit, and have contacted the school where the
> seismic event
> was recorded to try and get more details. Will report on
> any progress.
> Unfortunately, the event is 5 days old, and based on the
> picture in the
> article, I'm sure it has been cleaned up. Still, if I can,
> I will take a
> look.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Wayne Hally [mailto:meteoreye at comcast.net]
> Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2011 1:31 PM
> To: 'drtanuki'
> Subject: RE: NJ crater in lawn Meteorite blamed
> 
> It's not too far away, I'll check into it. I'm skeptical,
> since a trench
> that size carved by a meteorite would have had to be
> traveling at space
> velocity, and it probably would not have disintegrated
> completely. It would
> have to be travelling almost parallel to the ground, since
> even impactors at
> 20 degrees create a circular crater. There are no AMS
> fireball reports so
> far on that morning, if a meteoroid had hit the ground at
> that speed  it
> would have been widely seen and reported. I'll see if I can
> get in touch
> with the homeowners and pay a visit; I'll be out that
> general direction this
> weekend.
> 
> Wayne
> -----Original Message-----
> From: drtanuki [mailto:drtanuki at yahoo.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2011 12:44 PM
> To: Global Meteor Observing Forum; Wayne Hally
> Subject: NJ crater in lawn Meteorite blamed
> 
> Dear List,  This event has not been confirmed by any
> meteorite experts.
> Explosives have been ruled out by police. No meteorite
> found. Seismograph
> indicates "event"  at 11:35 am (may not be related?). 
> Seems to be a mystery
> "fishy meteorite" to me.  Anyone else smell fish?  Maybe
> a ruptured gas
> line?  Wayne Halley would you be interested in checking
> into this? 
> 
> http://lunarmeteoritehunters.blogspot.com/2011/05/nj-meteorite-crater-claime
> d-created.html
> 
> Best Regards,  Dirk Ross...Tokyo
> 
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