[meteorite-list] My First Piece

From: Frank Prochaska <fprochas_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:55:40 2004
Message-ID: <NDBBICFKNKHAAEEJLDALIENKCMAA.fprochas_at_premier1.net>

Thank you Rob, for starting this thread!

I've been interested in astronomy since before I can remember. I was always
reading up on something related to astronomy or physics or something. I had
sent for copies of Bob Haag's meteorite catalogs for a while, but didn't
purchase one until 1988 after I began a geology class in college. I always
liked the beauty of pallasites and thought it pretty cool to be able to look
at what might be the core-mantle boundary of some other small world. But
beyond that, olivine in most pallasites tended to be yellowish, where as
it's green on Earth. I wondered why.

Pretty soon, I ordered my first batch of meteorites from Bob - small Imilac
slice and end piece, a 20g Gibeon slice, a 50g North Chile slice, a small
indochinite and a small moldavite. Within a month, I ordered a Canyon
Diablo, a slice of graphite nodule, an Allende, a piece of Huckitta, and a
piece of Vaca Muerta.

Over the next five years or so I purchased regularly from Bob, Bethany
Sciences, and David New. Like some others have already stated, I sure miss
some of the material and prices in those old catalogs! I started taking my
meteorites to schools and astronomy club meetings. One of the highlights
for me was attending the Meteoritical Society annual meeting in Monterey Bay
in 1991 and meeting a number of leading researchers and a couple major
dealers. Even got to have dinner with Bob and see his then recently
recognized Calcalong Creek.

By the mid-nineties, my family was growing and I had less time and money for
meteorites. I've begun to get back into the loop in the last couple years
though, as my children are getting older and appreciate meteorites and what
they mean - and I have so much fun talking with them about them. I've
started going to schools in the area again to show kids my meteorites.

It sure is nice to be getting back into the loop!

Frank Prochaska



-----Original Message-----
From: meteorite-list-admin_at_meteoritecentral.com
[mailto:meteorite-list-admin_at_meteoritecentral.com]On Behalf Of Rob and
Colleen
Sent: Friday, January 04, 2002 1:16 AM
To: meteorite-list
Subject: [meteorite-list] My First Piece


Hello all-

The list seems a bit quiet as the holidays end, associations begin, and
Tucson draws near. I thought I'd fill up some bandwidth with this:

My first meteorite was a 52 gram etched part slice of Gibeon purchased
at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI). Prior to this
sighting, I had absolutely no idea that a single individual could be
sole owner of such a wonder. I gladly shelled out $110 for it and kept
it alone for many years. Then, during a period of time in my life driven
by boredom, I decided to go to the local fairgrounds for every gathering
they saw fit to hold. Antique glass, guns, knitting, poodles, and one
day....gems. A chance encounter there with Edwin Thompson opened my eyes
to the fact that there were plenty more meteorites to be had. The rest
is history, present, and future.

I would enjoy hearing how others got started, that first piece that
infected you with meteorite madness. Some of you have multi-million
dollar collections, others on this list only a few prized pieces. They
all had to start with one lowly piece as the foundation, the one we
will never sell or trade away. What was it?

P.S. If this thread has already been done, please forgive me and direct
me to the archives.

--
Rob Wesel
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Received on Fri 04 Jan 2002 05:32:13 AM PST