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(meteorobs) Fwd: Meteorite said to start backyard fire




Fellow meteor-watcher Mike Aramini forwards this more detailed report on the
highly questionable "meteorite fire" in New Hampshire. [Note that there is no
evidence of any meteorite below the multiple meter size EVER reaching earth's
surface with any significant heat remaining on its crust. And there are clear
reasons why it is thought this will NEVER happen, namely the "dark fall" period
of several mintues of freefall which smaller meteorites all endure once their
celestial velocity has been exhausted by friction with our atmosphere.]

Anyway, enjoy... And thanks for the forward, Mike!

Lew Gramer

------- Forwarded Message

Date: Tue, 05 Dec 2000 16:02:15 -0500
From: Michael Aramini <Aramini@ma.ultranet.com>
To: nsaac@jovian.com, meteorobs@jovian.com
Subject: [Fwd: Meteorite said to start backyard fire]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Meteorite said to start backyard fire
Date: Tue, 05 Dec 2000 10:49:15 -0500
From: "Alan H. Martin" <AMartin@MA.UltraNet.Com>

http://www.boston.com/news/daily/05/meteorite.htm

By Associated Press, 12/05/00

SALISBURY, N.H. -- Hensmith Road residents swear a meteorite started a
backyard fire in the neighborhood.

The scene was quiet by the time Salisbury firefighters arrived after 5
p.m. Monday. Neighbors had doused the fire that had prompted the call,
and the meteorite that had started it had stopped blazing.

The extraterrestrial visitor slammed into the back yard of 129 Hensmith
Road, according to witnesses, burying itself in the ground and starting
a small fire.

"When we got there they told me they saw this meteorite come in," said
Fire Chief Edwin Browne.

"I've been doing this for 30 years. I've never seen anything like it
before," he said.

The flame burned about an 18-inch area, he said, and that the ground was
muddy from residents pouring buckets of water on the small fire.

"It's there. Buried in the mud," Browne said.

"It's a little weird for my book," said the fire dispatcher who dealt
with the call. "I've never had anything drop out of the sky on my
watch."

He said the National Weather Service, which he called for advice, didn't
know what to do about the meteoritic visitor either.

"They said, 'We just predict the weather, we don't predict stuff falling
out of the sky."'

The New England Meteoritical Services said meteorites are some of the
scarcest material on Earth, much sought after by researchers and
collectors. It said meteorites essentially are shooting stars that make
it to the ground.

The majority, it reports on its Web site, originate from asteroids. A
smaller number comes from the moon, comets or Mars.

The owner of 129 Hensmith Road could not be reached for comment Monday
night.

) Copyright 2000 Boston Globe Electronic Publishing, Inc.
- -- 
Alan Howard Martin                              AMartin@MA.UltraNet.Com

------- End of Forwarded Message



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