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Re: (meteorobs) Leonid Meteorite
Michael,
If someone claims that a small meteorite was red-hot when it hit the ground, you
may safely pay no further attention to him.
Meteorites smaller than true disaster-size slow down to their terminal air speed
at high altitude, then have a long time to fall through cooling wind.
And the Leonids don't seem to drop meteorites anyway. They are dust clumps, not
rocks.
What with the worldwide publicity the shower got, I'm sure it's just a matter of
time before hucksters start offering "Leonid meteorites" to the gullible.
Alan MacRobert
Sky & Telescope
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