[meteorite-list] Re: Elusive Meteorites?

From: MexicoDoug_at_aol.com <MexicoDoug_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue Aug 3 16:28:38 2004
Message-ID: <6DB7DB59.382DC4CF.0BFED528_at_aol.com>

Hola, I just wanted to comment of the word "elusive" in terms of meteorites. It really overturned reality for me to read it in print from the original message as I just did from CJ Peanut's posting. "Elusive" is a word that applies to all meteorites at all times, in my opinion. Especially when you are looking for them! Even in the biggest strewnfield, etc. It would be much nicer to label the commercially available meteorites, as "commercial" and the "elusives" as "not-commercial", and never to loose sight of the fact that meteorites are all quite elusive, sometimes even when under one's nose!

The fact that many meteorites seem less "elusive", is because there are a actually a small set of meteorites that have been commercialized, some of these which are being cut to pieces beyond recognition, and continued to be whittled down and offered for sale. Sure there are a number of productive strewn fields out there for falls, but they are fewer than you might think, and see if it is cake walk to pick up space rocks there:)

There have only been about 1,200 date surviving recordings of witnessed fall dates in the history of mankind. If anyone has 20% of them, that is a collector's collector. Most of the folks in that category have principally the same 20%, too. So in your list of 5 random witnessed falls, which share nothing in common except July 1 or November 17 local calender dates getting one would be nearly beating the odds. You probably need good trade material, too, like another typically non-commercial witnessed fall. Also, don't forget to check the Thai meteorite you listed to see if it fell on the date you want to fill in for your meteorite album. My opinion is that if you are collecting for a date or a satisfactory mint mark, dates should be checked in your own time zone to see if it really is your date where you live. But seeing the glass as half full, rather than half empty, that might give you the opportunity to add another meteorite or two which hit Earth somewhere far away but on the date you want, even tho
ugh it looks like a day off, at first glance.

Suerte,
Doug
Received on Tue 03 Aug 2004 04:28:30 PM PDT