[meteorite-list] Leonid Meteorite

From: Bernd Pauli HD <bernd.pauli_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:54:02 2004
Message-ID: <3C640181.CBA597B7_at_lehrer1.rz.uni-karlsruhe.de>

Rick inquired:

> I was wondering is there a documented for sure 100%
> meteorite that came from the comet Temple Tuttle? We
> know that the Leonids come from this comet. Just maybe
> their is meteorite out there????? Rick

Ron responded:

> In theory, it is possible for a meteorite to occur from
> a meteor shower. However, I have heard of no confirmed
> case of a meteorite being recovered from a meteor shower.
> It appears that most of the particles are dust particles,
> and while they put on a good show entering the Earth's
> atmosphere, most of them burn up in the process.


Hello R & R & L(ist),

The only rather doubtful candidate was the 4-kg Mazapil, Zacatecas,
Mexico medium octahedrite (IAB) which is said to have fallen during
a "star shower". The locality was the Conception del Oro Ranch, 13
km east of the town of Mazapil.

At about 9 o'clock p.m. a ranchman went to the corral to feed some
horses, when he suddenly heard a loud sizzling noise followed by a
loud thud. From a hole in the ground they soon reovered a "hot stone",
which they could "barely handle". The date: Nov 27, 1885.

It was postulated that these "raining stars" had originated from
meteors associated with the Biela-Gambart comet. This comet had
been discovered in 1826, and its orbital elements calculated but
it had since been lost after it separated into two parts in 1846.
>From then on it slowly but steadily diminished in size. Well, this
report could never be definitely verified so that it must remain
doubtful!

Reference:

BUCHWALD, V.F. (1975) Handbook of Iron Meteorites, Volume 2, pp.
808-813.


Best regards,

Bernd
Received on Fri 08 Feb 2002 11:49:05 AM PST