[meteorite-list] Meteorite Fall in Zimbabwe?

From: meteoritehunter_at_comcast.net <meteoritehunter_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon Aug 29 21:11:03 2005
Message-ID: <083020050110.1774.4313B210000DBF47000006EE22073000339D0A9B029A080A9B079D010A9B0A03_at_comcast.net>

Damn, too bad I am in Panama right now, or I would be there in a heartbeat............
Of course, Mugabe would want me to pay him for that stone.
Mike Farmer


>
> http://www.zimbabweherald.com/index.php?id=46403
>
> Meteorite leaves villagers dumbfounded
> By Freeman Razemba
> The Herald (Zimbabwe)
> August 30, 2005
>
> VILLAGERS in Dotito, Mount Darwin were left dumbfounded last week and
> are living in fear after they discovered a black stone, which is
> believed to have fallen from the outer space.
>
> The stone known as meteorite was 21cm long and 13cm wide, weighing about
> 4,1kg.
>
> It has since been taken to Forensic Scientists Laboratory at the
> Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in Harare for further
> investigations.
>
> These types of stones fall to the earth and contain grains of
> nickel-iron and metal.
>
> Mashonaland Central police spokesperson Inspector Michael Munyikwa said
> several villagers from Chaworeka Village heard noise like that of a
> helicopter last Monday at around 5pm.
>
> "The villagers heard some noise, which resembled that of a helicopter,
> coming from the eastern direction and the noise was followed by clouds
> of dust," he said.
>
> Insp Munyikwa said the stone fell on the ground a few minutes later and
> about metres away from a Mr Jeriko Muzanembi's homestead.
>
> He was cutting some poles in a field when the incident occurred.
>
> Mr Muzanembi and other villagers teamed up and went to investigate and
> discovered that it was an object, which looked like a stone.
>
> "The impact of the stone cut 15cm deep into the earth when it landed on
> the ground and the villagers discovered that it was an object which
> looked like a stone. It was black in colour and had white particles
> inside," said Insp Munyikwa.
>
> A report was made to the police who informed the forensic scientists,
> geologists and the army. It was taken to Dotito Police Station and
> later, to Harare.
>
> According to some scientists, the stone could have changed its size,
> colour and weight as it was falling to the ground, as a result of high
> temperatures, which could have been more than 2 000 Degrees Celsius.
>
> Police said after completing their investigations with the help of some
> experts, the stone would be taken to the National Museum.
>
> A meteorite is a small extra-terrestrial body that reaches the earth's
> surface. While in space these bodies are called meteoroids and they are
> called meteors after entering earth's atmosphere but before reaching the
> surface. These are small asteroids, approximately boulder sized or less.
>
> When it enters the atmosphere, air drag and friction cause the body to
> heat up and emit light, thus forming a fireball or shooting star.
>
> Throughout the ages, meteorites were venerated as sacred objects by
> different cultures and ancient civilisations.
>
> The spectacular fall of a meteorite, accompanied by light and sound
> phenomena, such as falling stars, smoke, thunder, and sonic booms, has
> always kindled the human imagination, evoking fear and awe in everyone
> who witnesses such an event.
>
> For obvious reasons, the remnants of these incidents, the actual
> meteorites, were often kept as sacred stones or objects of power.
>
> They were worshiped, and used in their respective religious ceremonies.
>
> However, a meteorite on a celestial body is a small object that has come
> from elsewhere in space.
>
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Received on Mon 29 Aug 2005 09:10:40 PM PDT