[meteorite-list] Re: claimed meteorite fall in Bangladesh

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Mar 9 12:02:12 2006
Message-ID: <200603091700.k29H07V22811_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

>
> Thanks to Ed Cannon.
>
> > Here's a news story about the same event:
> >
> > http://www.independent-bangladesh.com/news/feb/15/15022006ft.htm
> >

Fireball of meteorite astonishes Shingpara villagers
The Independent (Bangladesh)
February 15, 2006

People of Shingpara village in Thakurgaon were astonished after hearing
a meteorite's falling sound on 31 January. The unknown village is
situated in the north-west district of the country, 500 km away from the
capital city Dhaka.

Villagers thought a fireball dropped on the ground after creating some
weird sound for a while. It made 3.5ft deep hole when it hit on the
earth surface. Then surprised people informed nearest police station
about its dropping with a bang. Police brought it to the police station
to secure it from interface of other.

Before the villagers thought it was a mortal shell from other side of
Indian border. At the time of bomb blasts they were also afraid of bomb
hurling at the villagers. Besides, local goldsmiths made another
confusion among the people by claiming the matter is a rare expensive
black stone.

Immediate after hearing the news a five-member astronomy group of
Anushandhitshu Chokro Science Organisation rushed to the place to
investigate the sudden occurrence. After proper observation, the
observation team confirmed it as a meteorite. Some information they
stated bellow:

Weight: 2.5 K.G.

Height: 12.5 cm

Element: Stony Iron

Police were thinking either they will hand over the meteorite to
Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission or National Science Museum. Finally
Atomic Energy Commission will carry out research and experiment on the
sky body.

A meteorite is a small extraterrestrial body that impacts often the
Earth's surface. While in space they are called meteoroids, and while
falling through Earth's atmosphere they are called meteors.

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.

More generally, a meteorite on a celestial body is a small body that has
come from elsewhere in space. Most meteors disintegrate when entering
the Earth's atmosphere, making impacts events (Earth impacts) on the
surface uncommon. About 500 baseball-sized rocks reach the surface each
year. Large meteorites may strike the ground with considerable force,
leaving behind an impact crater. The kind of crater will depend on the
size, composition, degree of fragmentation, and incoming angle of the
meteor. The force of collision may cause widespread destruction.

One theory stipulates that a large meteorite impact caused the mass
extinction of the dinosaurs. It is also theorised that meteorites caused
other mass extinction events as well throughout the history of the earth.

Across the world there are many collectors and organisation, which are
collecting meteorite for several purposes. Research and busyness on the
sky object are going on noticeably in the developed world.

Unfortunately meteorite recording process almost absent in the country.
Although five decades ago there was a department to enlist falling sky
objects in the book.

[snip]
Received on Thu 09 Mar 2006 12:00:06 PM PST