[meteorite-list] Re-Post Nininger Moment Eaton Meteorite?

From: almitt <almitt_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:13:09 2004
Message-ID: <3EA87EEA.97FAF43F_at_kconline.com>

Hi List,

This is a bit early but will fit in to a discussion of the possible copper meteorite
nugget. As I can recall and when I looked up the information, Nininger did a great
deal of searching to try to confirm the fact that no air plane had flown over the
area. Steve Schoner mention that air planes were rare then and Nininger mentioned
uncommon in that area of the time. Though I can't say if there are truly copper
meteorites that have fallen (breaking out of a chondrite host?) I wouldn't and don't
want to rule it out until we have more data to confirm or disprove the event. Research
on the Eaton piece would be and could be imperative to finding out this mystery.

The Eaton, Colorado Meteorite

In a paper by Harvey Nininger, is the account and information as well as the
conclusion of the Eaton,
Colorado fall. The fall was called an entirely new type (copper-zinc-lead) and
coordinate with the
sideritic variety (nickel-irons). In describing any new and different material,
Nininger qualified his
opening statement by saying he was aware of his obligation to scientists in the
various related fields and for accurate investigation of the specimen in question. Had
it not been for this awareness a
paper would have been published years before, nearer the time of the fall. Nininger's
earlier counselors in the field of meteoritics were Dr. O.C. Farrington and George P.
Merrill both
cautious scientists. Both had firmly warned Nininger the danger of trusting too far
the factor of
human testimony in arriving at conclusions regarding the identity of meteorites.

Nininger at the time of his investigation of the Eaton Meteorite had 20 years of
investigative experience and several hundred percent more experience in meteorites
than either of his
mentors to draw from. Everyone who has done much investigation of meteorites in the
field
has come to realize that as far as human testimony is concern that even cases that
appear to be
quite sound and make sense but upon investigation of the material found was the result
of serious
error of judgment on the part of the observer. Dr. Merrill once wrote "when it comes
to the identification of meteorites, human testimony can never be considered as
evidence. The
specimens themselves must always supply the answer." Nininger stated that although he
highly regarded the statement as a very good guide when looking for meteorites it was
a bit of an overstatement and had it not been for human testimony that was relied upon
in the first place,
we should have never known that meteorites exist. The truly scientific procedure is to
consider critically all human testimony, to check it against the characteristics of
the material under
consideration, in the light of all other circumstances related to the case, and then
to try, without prejudice, to reach a conclusion that is in harmony with all of the
known facts. In the case of the
Eaton Fall Nininger expressed that he expected to be criticized. He also stated he
felt the matter would be settled in the lap of time.

Nininger further stated that in the course of 20 years he had dealt with the falls of
enough
meteorites and with enough witnesses of those falls (certainly well above a thousand)
to
know when a story sounds right. The Eaton Meteorite fall did. Nininger stated that the

specimen was right except for one exception and that was of its composition. The
Garnett,
Kansas, Meteorite found in a cow pasture that showed free copper in this specimen
indicating
that such a cooper nugget might also be found in a fall if the incoming meteor were to
break apart during a fall possible leaving the metal to reach the ground. (note) Some
of the Esterville Mesosiderite was recovered in this manor.

On a bright sunny day in May of 1931 a Mr. W. H. Foster, a man of usually quiet manor
and of few
words, brought to the superintendent John C. Casey of the public schools of Eaton an
object that he
was somewhat excited but embarrassed about. The object 2.5 inches long and of a very
irregular shape had whizzed past his head and struck the ground about 7 feet away. He
had been attracted
to the humming noise some little time before it reach him. It struck in his garden
with a thud and he looked just in time to see the soil turn up upon its arrival. He
had been hoeing the garden when he heard the noise. When he stepped up to the point
and saw a bright metallic part of the object at the point of the fall He then bent
over to pick it up. In doing so he averred that he burnt his finger, and the
superintendent testified that his finger showed a fresh burn half way between its tip
and first joint. He had come to the superintendent for an explanation of the event.
After careful discussion of the event they ruled out several possibilities including a
meteorite as it didn't fit the description. Three weeks later the story was related to
Nininger in a story from a friend who asked his opinion. A few days
later Nininger went to investigate the fall along with Mr. Frank Howland, the curator
of Minerals
at the Colorado Museum of Natural History, Denver.

They found Mr. Foster still in possession of the nugget and were lead to the spot in
the garden of the
fall. His story conformed well with that related by Nininger's friend. Mr. Foster
placed no particular
value on the object and was glad to lend it to Nininger for study in which he set no
time limit, but did
asked for the piece back after study. The Superintendent substantiated everything as
far as he had been witness to and who assured Nininger that Mr. Foster had a good
reputation in the community. Nininger later on stated that they could not find any
justification of doubting the sincerity of Mr. Foster and the accuracy of his report.
Later on Nininger convinced Mr. Foster to sell the specimen to him so that in the
event it was a rare find that it would not be lost to science. The sum of $5.00 was
paid for the piece. Because of its extreme radical departure from the known range of
meteoritic composition, Nininger decided to devote a great effort to disqualify the
specimen for admission to the extra-terrestrial ranks.


Source: The Published Papers Of H.H. Nininger
By the Center for Meteorite Studies Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ

Published originally in Popular Astronomy May 1943 Pg. 273 to 280

The Nininger Moments are articles or books written originally by Harvey
Nininger and put into a consolidated form by Al Mitterling. Some of the
items written in the moments might be old out dated material and the
reader is advised to keep this in mind.

--AL Mitterling
Received on Thu 24 Apr 2003 08:18:51 PM PDT