[meteorite-list] Meteorite fall in Morocco

From: philippe thomas <thomasmeteorites_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed Dec 1 05:48:13 2004
Message-ID: <19413126.1101898090432.JavaMail.www_at_wwinf0902>

Hello everybody,
I'm actually in Morroco looking for informations about the new fall. Here are my observations :

There as been an article published in "Liberation" (Morocco) on november 29. I will scan it when I
come back to France. This is the report of a declaration made on the first morrocan TV Channel
TVM on saturday night. Mrs Hasne Chennaoui Oudjane (A?n Chok University of Casablanca) told
that the analysis done on the meteorites felt near Ben Guerir reveal that they contain some iron
and some nickel and that they come from an environment located between Mars and Jupiter.
During this report, they have shown a meteorite weighing about 4kg.


We arrived in Ben Guerir this morning (Nov 30) at 9.00. It's raining.
We took the direction of a little village distant of 20 km, Douar Tnaja. There, two witnesses of the
fall show us the place where a stone weighing around 10kg felt. The coordinates of this place are
N 32? 15' " W 8? 07'.
A 10mx10m area has been plowed and the crater is no more visible. It's very probable that a
meteorite of this weight dig a deep "hole" in this kind of ground, the soil there is light and dry.
The first rain after the fall was on November 29.
The two witnesses have seen a fireball coming from the North-North East and have heard a big
explosion which has terrified them.
After feeling reassured, the two shepherds went back to the impact area. One hour later, the
responsible of the village came and call the royal police force. As soon as they arrived, they have
requisitioned the piece.

The royal police force has visited each house of the area, asking people to give them the
meteorites. Some people have complied with this order but some others have hidden the
meteorites.
An inhabitant has showed me a meteorite weighing around 1kg. The only problem is that he
hides it in his well to be sure that the police won't find it. Dived in the water since a week, this
meteorite presents already some weathering signs.

I have made some photos I will upload on my website as soon as I come back to France.
Tomorrow (Dec,1st), I will go to another place where another big piece has been found.
I'll let you know.

All the best,
Philippe Thomas
Meteoritica
Received on Wed 01 Dec 2004 05:48:10 AM PST