[meteorite-list] Meteorite from Jupiter-- uh, I mean TO Jupiter

From: Chris Peterson <clp_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed Jun 21 20:31:43 2006
Message-ID: <18ad01c69593$29df0290$fd01a8c0_at_bellatrix>

A small meteorite acquires its fusion crust in the fraction of a second
after a larger parent body fragments at high altitude. It almost immediately
loses any forward speed, and simply falls at terminal velocity. For a
spherical 50g stone that is about 50 m/s. That's in the same range as a
paintball pellet. A 30cm diameter stone is going to smart, but isn't going
to go through flesh, or probably result in anything more than a nasty
bruise.

Chris

*****************************************
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com


----- Original Message -----
From: "Pete Pete" <rsvp321_at_hotmail.com>
To: <clp_at_alumni.caltech.edu>; <meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 21, 2006 4:06 PM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Meteorite from Jupiter-- uh, I mean TO Jupiter


> My question is this: Can a meteor that is travelling with enough velocity
> to get a nice, black fusion crust, and with the dimensions indicated by
> the article's picture, be slowed enough by any other possible influence
> (strong cross winds, strong updrafts, striking several songbirds on the
> way down) that it wouldn't go through human flesh, instead of just bumping
> [him]?
>
> If the meteorite hit the roof of the house he was near, or branches of a
> tree he might be near, one would think there would be some sound
> accompanying his story.
>
> Cheers,
> Pete
Received on Wed 21 Jun 2006 08:31:12 PM PDT