[meteorite-list] Object That Hit North Carolina Home Not A Meteorite

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:25:38 2004
Message-ID: <200305121742.KAA02907_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.dailyadvance.com/news/newsfd/auto/feed/news/2003/05/09/1052497688.00303.4185.5036.html

Object that hit home not meteor
By BEN DECK
The Daily Advance (North Carolina)
May 9, 2003

An object that struck the side of Perquimans couple's trailer in April, and was
thought to possibly be a meteorite, has turned out to be a chunk of aluminum.

Peggy and Johnny Phthisic found the object after it slammed into the side of their
trailer on the morning of April 21. It was about the size of a half-squashed
tennis ball, smooth on one side and lumpy on the other.

A professor at Elizabeth City State University initially said it might be a
meteorite, but further examination determined the object was aluminum.

While the object appears to have been subjected to high heat - the bumps on the
lumpy side look like they melted - it does not have the scorched appearance common
to meteorites.

The object was moving fast enough to crack the side of the trailer, and the impact
sounded like a "gunshot," Peggy Phthisic said.
Received on Mon 12 May 2003 01:42:24 PM PDT