[meteorite-list] Sky and Telescope Meteorite Articles - Part 2

From: almitt <almitt_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:53:36 2004
Message-ID: <3E063A5C.9806286D_at_kconline.com>

Hi Mark and list,

Sky and Tel is a first class astronomy magazine, it used to be number one but
Astronomy was cleaver enough to figure out how to sell more magazines and takes that
spot now. Certainly Sky and Tel is the older of the two.

I have noted that some of the recent articles were written right after supposed falls
that turned out as to be meteorwrongs or hoaxes. If one searches the articles you
should keep this in mind. I haven't seen them retract or give updates on such stories.
Also they had a feature article on the Port Orford Meteorite. Even though it is well
done I have a number of BIG problems with the way the research was done on Port
Orford.

Although it could be a hoax, it could also have been a legitimate find. The researcher
used a copied journal (actually the original hasn't been found) and used this to
retrace the foot steps of the explorer Dr. John Evans. Without the original journal I
don't think one can be absolutely sure of the routes taken as mistakes could have been
made in the copy. Its my belief that since the original pieces of the Port Orford
find were moved from time to time to other museums before going to the Smithsonian,
that the possibility exists that they may have become mixed up, lost or even
substituted when demand for the pieces to be returned were made. There were landslides
in the late 1800's that could account for the meteorite's disappearance. The pictures
taken of the supposed Bald Mountain that contained the meteorite was void of brush
that was described by the explorer. Also that mountain can't be seen from the ocean
and John Evan's describes that the mountain the meteorite was on COULD be seen from
the ocean as ships entered the port and was a prominent feature from the ocean. You
can look the Port Orford Meteorite on the web or search the meteorite list archives
for more information.

My interest in this meteorite is neutral and a number of things would have had to
happen in order for the current official believe that it is a hoax to be wrong but
none the less I do see some discrepancies. All my best!

--AL

MARK BOSTICK wrote:

News Notes - Meteorites 2, Cars 0 December 1994, p. 12
Feature - The Port Orford Meteorite Hoax By Howard Plotkin | September 1993, p. 35-37
Received on Sun 22 Dec 2002 05:19:10 PM PST