[meteorite-list] Meteorite Hunters Concentrate Their Search In Galway, Ireland

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:23:46 2004
Message-ID: <200303070128.RAA26432_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.galwayadvertiser.ie/dws/story.tpl?inc=2003/03/06/news/32418.html

Meteorite hunters concentrate their search in Galway
Galway Advertiser (Ireland)
March 6, 2003

ASTRONOMERS AND treasure hunters continue to search for
the valuable meteorite thought to have fallen somewhere in
Galway early in February.

Preliminary reports about the fireball witnessed over Irish skies early
on February 12 suggest that the meteorite may have fallen in county
Galway, in Galway Bay, or off the coast of Clare but so far the exact
location of the rock has not been determined.

According to local astronomy organisation Galway Astronomy Club,
precise sightings by two people in Galway, one on the right hand side
of Galway airport and the other on the left hand side of the Tuam Rd,
indicate the meteorite landed in the vicinity of Galway Bay.

Chairman of the organisation Martin Quirke told the Galway Advertiser
the fireball probably entered the earth's atmosphere at roughly
100,000mph and started glowing about 100 miles above Ireland.

"In just a couple of seconds it would have slowed down and streaked
across the sky glowing extremely brightly, burning out perhaps 15-20
miles above ground. This end point is where any meteorites would have
fallen, silently and invisibly as they would no longer be glowing. They
would have struck the ground or sea at about 200mph, roughly five
minutes after the fireball flash."

Meteorites hitting the earth at this relatively low speed would not have
caused a crater and would have been very cold to the touch had anyone
picked one up right away.

Once the location of this possible meteorite fall has been determined, a
search of the land can be started. It may then be possible to locate the
rarest form of space debris -- an Irish meteorite.

"It is extremely rare for a meteorite to land in a country as small as
Ireland. Only two were found on this island in the 20th century, one in
Northern Ireland in 1969, and another in County Carlow in 1999. If one
were discovered in Galway we would be very anxious to keep it in an
Irish museum, or even a Galway one.

"Obviously it would be a very valuable find. Depending on the
meteorite's size (anywhere from the size of a golf ball to a tennis ball)
and where it originates from, it could have a value of up to EUR
100,000. A Scotsman has already expressed a keen interest in the rock,
offering the finder EUR 20,000."

The Galway Astronomy Club is asking the public to contact the
organisation's chairman Martin Quirke at (091) 528347 if they come
across any unusual rocks. It is also appealing to anyone who operates
a security camera to check their tapes for 7.10am on the morning of
February 12. It could hold vital clues to the rock's location.
Received on Thu 06 Mar 2003 08:28:35 PM PST