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Re: When Does A Meteorite Become A Meteorite?

Hello List!  This is quite a thread, isn't it?  I for one, have always
understood it to be a meteoroid in space..... a meteor when acted upon by
the earth's atmosphere (or any other atmospheric body).... and finally a
meteorite when it strikes the ground.  If it should strike an airplane.....
I call that quite unfortunate.  Or, if large enough....fate.
    I'm finding myself hard-pressed to call it anything at all during its'
dark-flight stage.... other than a meteor that has begun its' dark flight
stage.  A supersonic jet is still called a supersonic jet....whether in
flight or sitting in the hanger!  When would you require a seperate term for
the dark flight stage?  It cannot be interacted with during this stage (much
like the tree in the forest).... while a meteor, it is visible, can be seen,
or heard if it produces a sonic boom.... in dark flight it cannot be seen,
unless you have a window seat on that aforementioned airplane....and becomes
part of this earth upon striking, in the form of a new meteorite,...which
can once again be interacted with.
    Why quibble?  When will you have to use this new term of a darkflight
meteor?  Call it just that.  Period.  A cave has stalactites and
stalagmites.  One of the mineral forms on the ceiling, the other on the
floor.  Should we now argue about what to call the drop of water containing
the minerals, as it falls from the stalactite on its' merry way to being a
part of the stalagmite??????  ...... I doubt, ... I would ever use that
word, or really need to, in a sentence............ Unless I just wanted to
confuse my listner.

God Bless.....        Bruce Yager.     bdyager@mhtc.net

Oh yeah..... One more thing.  Let's call it a meteoroid in space....a meteor
in our atmosphere.... and .45 cents per gram when it strikes earth.  Unless,
of course, it strikes a piece of plastic!  Bye!

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