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YEs, You are of course right (Was Re: (meteorobs) Leonid Meteorite)



Hi Mike ...

I saw this too and also think about it as a hoax ...

Best
> Michael J. MacDonald wrote:
> 
> The local newspaper reported that a fellow in Victoria, Australia has
> found what is claimed to be a leonid meteorite.
> 
> I find the whole thing quite unbelievable.
> 
> The article states that he was watching the meteor shower in the early
> morning out in the country when he saw a brilliant flash and a thing
> whizzed past him slamming into the ground. When it was dawn he searched
> for it. He found it still glowing hot. It is described as a 7.5 kg black
> iron-like meteorite.
> 
> I'm interested in the opinions of the list on the possibility of such a
> thing occurring.
> 
> AFAIK meteors of cometary origin as are the Leonids are merely composed
> of ices of gas and dust which are small and have extremely low
> densities, and that there has never been recovered any meteorites of
> cometary origin. This may be partly due to all of them disintegrating in
> the atmosphere and never reaching the ground.

Or at least Rocky ... not iron made

> Also, from what I have read, meteors do not glow red hot after they have
> reached the ground. In fact they cool during dark flight up to 20kms
> above the ground such that they are at ambient ait temperature upon
> reaching the ground.

No ... not glowing ... at most warm at touch (or even hot if You preffer
but not glowing)

> Am I right about the above??

Yes ...

> I'm afraid there's too many "hmmms" in the story for my liking.
> Don't get me wrong though - any suspected meteorite should be checked
> out for authenticity. My gripes with what was published is that it sends
> a message that meteor showers are dangerous and perpetuates the idea
> that a rocks will start landing on ours head in a meteor shower amongst
> others.
> 
> --
> Michael
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Michael J. MacDonald
> MACHO Observer
> Mount Stromlo Observatory
> Canberra, Australia
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> To UNSUBSCRIBE from the 'meteorobs' email list, use the Web form at:
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-- 
+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| Nombre: Jose Fernando Barral Caballero
| E-mail: josefo@infoseldot net.mx
| http://www.uat.mx/Vinculos/planeta/
| Tel/Fax: (131) 5-12-15
| Date:    21-Nov-98
| Time:    19:00:00 CST
+--------------------------------------------------------------+


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