[meteorite-list] Nininger 16 years ago today

From: Bernd Pauli HD <bernd.pauli_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:02:24 2004
Message-ID: <3C7FD9E2.6CBF162A_at_lehrer1.rz.uni-karlsruhe.de>

Keith reminded us:

> I like to honor today Harvey Harlow Nininger who passed
> away 16 years ago today March 1 1986. He was truly a man
> dedicated to the Teaching and finding of Meteorites to
> anyone who would listen to him.


Hello Keith and List,


MARVIN U.B. (1993) The Meteoritical Society 1933-1993
(Meteoritics 28-3, 1993, p. 300):

Asteroid Nininger, 1982

In recognition of Nininger's 95th birthday on January 17, 1982,
the International Astronomical Union named an asteroid for him
in recognition of his "... recovery of some 200 meteorite falls
and finds, and his resulting 3000 samples, which were more than
those of any other individual prior to the exploration of the
Antarctic blue-ice fields." In a letter to this writer, dated
May 15, 1982, Nininger enclosed a copy of the announcement in
the Minor Planet Circular of December 11, 1981, and added:

"Thought you’d like to know that astronomers have not forgotten
the old meteorite hunter. Asteroid 2421 (Nininger) is of moderate
size, 25 mi. diameter, equal to 10 or 15 Pikes Peaks rolled into
one. It is considered a possible source of meteorites."

Nininger also enclosed a poem he had written for the occasion:

Asteroid (2421) Nininger

What's this they say,
A shining speck that I can't see
In yonder sky was named for me?
An asteroid past mountain size?
Two hundred million miles away?
I guess it's true, that's what they say.
But why should such be named for me?
On second thought I think I see
Meteorites must be the key;
For these queer rocks from out the void
Are thought to come from asteroid;
Bits fly free when two collide.
A thousand fragments dart through space
All flying free as in a race
Then some collide and fragments fly
Just every which way; some near by.
And I have prized them, brought them home,
Investigated: where they're from,
How big, how many, how much dust?
How many craters in Earth's crust:
Did some make mountains when they fell?
Or split great canyons; who can tell?
The answer's written on the moon.
Our turn's coming, don't know how soon.
With all this thinking guess I see
Why flying mount was named for me.

H. H. Nininger - May, 1982.
Received on Fri 01 Mar 2002 02:43:30 PM PST