[meteorite-list] NPA 05-23-1860 New Concord Meteorite, shower of Tuesday last

From: MARK BOSTICK <thebigcollector_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat Jul 23 12:44:53 2005
Message-ID: <BAY104-F22613E05BFDBEB0762F7EBB3C80_at_phx.gbl>

Paper: Banner Of Liberty
City: Middletown, New York
Date: Wednesday, May 23, 1860
Page: 8 (of 8)

     The great meteoric shower of Tuesday last appears to have extended over
the greater part of Ohio. In New Concord, four stones weighing from 40 to
60 pounds each, fell near the track of the Central Ohio Railroad, burying
themselves in the ground to the depth of about two feet. At Claysville
stones of the same quality, but in great quantities fell. Near
McConnellsville several boys observed a huge stone descend to the earth,
which they averred looked like a red ball, leaving a line of smoke in its
wake. A gentleman walking in his field near New Concord, heard a terrific
crash like thunder, which lasted half a minute, and then plainly saw a large
body descending through the air in an oblique direction, with a velocity
apparently much greater than it could have attained by its own momentum.
Going to the spot where it touched the ground he found a rock weighing over
50 pounds imbedded in the earth a depth of two feet. The stones were found
over 50 miles apart, and are all alike, being fragmentary, as if just
broken, of bright gray color inside, with a dark metallic surface, very
compact and heavy. The noise of the explosion was heard over four or five
counties. In some places being taken for thunder, in others shaking the
ground like an earthquake, and at New Concord causing such a violent
concussion that the houses were heavily jarred and many of the doors burst
open, considerably frightening the people. The course of the meteoric
fragments was from northwest to southeast. So unusual a meteoric shower
will attract much attention and investigation among men of science.

(end)

Mark Note: This article refers to the New Concord meteorite. This meteorite
fell in Muskingum county, Ohio on May 1, 1860 at 12:45 p.m. More then
thirty pieces, 227 kg., of this L6 stone chondrite was recovered.
(Reference: Meteorites A to Z: Second Edition).

Clear Skies,
Mark Bostick
Wichita, Kansas
http://www.meteoritearticles.com
http://www.kansasmeteoritesociety.com
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Received on Sat 23 Jul 2005 12:44:51 PM PDT