[meteorite-list] 1864: fiction or fact? help!

From: JKG <h3chondrite_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue Sep 21 11:12:00 2004
Message-ID: <6.0.3.0.2.20040921080153.02709150_at_pop.west.cox.net>

I found this story to be quite entertaining and think it would sound very
convincing to a person who lacked the basic understanding of
meteorites. The overall language of the article coupled with the use of
geological and chemical terminology sets it in a class above the usual
fictitious accounts. However, anyone who has studied meteorites on even
the most basic level (Meteoritics 101 and lower) would know that this rock
measuring 495 X 742.5 feet could not be a meteorite. The mass is
sufficient large (several time over, actually) that the earths atmosphere
would have no effect on slowing it's entry speed. If the meteor didn't
break up during entry for some reason it would have vaporized on impact; no
large pieces of it would remain and there would be a crater of tremendous
size where this rock now sits.

Best,

JKG







At 06:36 AM 9/21/2004, chris aubeck wrote:
>Dear list,
>
>I would very much like to know how much of the
>following may be based on scientific procedure and
>observation, and whether as a whole it makes any sense
>at all. I found the text in an article dated
>originally to 1864 and have translated it to the best
>of my ability from Spanish (in which I'm fluent, but
>this was very technical). It was published in
>Argentina.
>
>As usual with this kind of thing, I don't know where
>to turn, except to the experienced guys on this list.
>
>I'll be doing the internet equivalent of sitting
>"glued to the screen" hoping someone can enlighten me!
>
>Very best,
>
>Chris
>
>*****************************************************
>
>
>I came across a great black rock, ovoid in shape and
>measuring around 30 rods in diameter in its widest
>part by 45 rods in length. I was quite astonished on
>seeing such a large, isolated stone, in the middle of
>the plains; what caught my attention above all was its
>dark and vitrified appearance at first sight. I
>examined it thoroughly and shortly I had no doubt, I
>was standing before an aerolite
 but few of such
>enormity have been found to date.
>
>Enthused by my discovery I telegraphed Mr. Smith (a
>geologist and a friend of mine who was then in C?rdoba
>on the way to the mountains) to come and examine this
>curious piece of planetary matter. This he did and a
>few days later my friend Mr. Smith, Mr. Jones and I
>went off to investigate the aerolite scientifically.
>On the afternoon of the same day we began to bore a
>hole into it to analyze the diverse materials of which
>its interior was composed, and for this purpose we
>employed an Argentine laborer named Jes?s Villegas.
>A notable feature, at first sight, are the cracks and
>crags from which considerable pieces must have come
>loose: the whole mass is covered in a certain black
>enamel, from 3 to 9 ? inches thick. The interior
>contains 5% graphitic carbon, magnetic iron sulphate,
>a magnesium and iron carbonate, which could be
>considered a kind of breu merite, an extremely rare
>substance; silica, talc, some complex minerals that
>are not to be found on earth, for example,
>Sheibirsite, which is a double phosphorus of iron and
>nickel, ammonium hydrochloride, a very volatile salt,
>whose presence in the aerolite proves that the candent
>state of the surface did not last a long time and that
>the heat did not penetrate to the interior of the
>mass, and this concords with the low conductivity of
>its composition, and finally it contained cesium and
>some alkaline silicates that we are not familiar with.
>
>At seven rods we have found ophite; at 15, granite.
>The stone was very hard and our boring progressed very
>slowly.
>
>******************************************************
>
>=====
>http://embark.to/magonia
>
>C / Mayor 51, 3 B,
>28013 Madrid
>Spain
>
>Tel: 600376311 (with image capabilities)
>
>
>
>
>
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Received on Tue 21 Sep 2004 11:17:06 AM PDT