[meteorite-list] Nakhla impact angle

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue Dec 7 21:19:10 2004
Message-ID: <200412080219.SAA08391_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

>
> > Here's the entry angle of Nakhla as reported by John Ball in 1912:
>
> > "The direction of approach of the object was from the northwest, and
> > its track, marked by a column of white smoke, is said to have been
> > inclined only some 30 degrees to the horizontal."
>
> Its *TRACK*, not its impact angle. The slope of the smoke trail has
> almost no relation to the impact angle. --Rob

Nakhla did leave holes in the ground inclined to the vertical.
A quote from G.T. Prior's report in 1912 titled "The meteoritic stones of El
Nakhla El Baharia (Egypt)":

"The [Nakhla meteorite] stones, according to the evidence of many eye-witnesses,
 approached from the north-west along a track marked by a column of white smoke
 and inclined to the horizontal about 30 degrees. Several explosions were heard,
 and the stones buried themselves in the ground to depths of from 10 to 30 cm,
 leaving holes inclined to the vertical."

Ron Baalke
Received on Tue 07 Dec 2004 09:19:06 PM PST