[meteorite-list] Exciting New meteorite material....Mokoia, Wairarapa and Alta Ameem

From: Michael L Blood <mlblood_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 19:21:47 -0800
Message-ID: <C1D96DCB.324AA%mlblood_at_cox.net>

Hi Bob & Graham,
        I am in agreement with Bob; the main reference to this meteorite I
initially found stated "...the Mokoia meteorite, which was seen to fall near
Wanganui on 26 November 1908..." indicates nothing about it striking
a human, animal or man made object, which is the difining element of
a "hammer."
        Yes, Bob, I did, in fact, coin the term, "hammer" several years ago
(the term "hammer stone," was first used by Adam Hupe - though I never
understood the point of adding the term "stone," especially since at least
2 hammers are irons). I referred to them as "hammers" because they had
nailed something.
        As mentioned on my Hammer Page, Walter Branch published the first
listing I am aware of of meteorites that hit things. It was originally
hosted by Walter, himself, but I believe it is now hosted by the IMCA.
        Some interesting debates are more along the line of whether or not
a fall qualifies as a hammer if:
1) it hit a road, and if so, is it only if it was a paved road? (I,
personally, do not consider said falls of either type to be hammers, but it
is reasonably debatable).
2) Is Nakhla a hammer, since Kevin Kachinka pretty much demonstrated
it did not strike a dog as reported... the reason some do consider it a
hammer is that Ron Baalke made a case for at least the remote possibility
that it did.
3) Is Monahans a hammer - as it was reported to have hit a "basket ball
court?" I, personally, do not consider it a hammer, as it did not, in fact,
hit a basket ball court. In fact, the "basket ball court" was actually just
a hoop nailed to a power pole or over a garage door. The point at which
the stone struck was actually a dirt pathway immediately adjacent to where
the kids were playing basketball. (apparently there are no paved side walks
in that particular neighborhood)
        So, in short, I do not, personally, include Nakhla or Monahans in my
hammer collection, but do offer them on my hammer page with a full
explanation regarding their status.
        Best wishes, Michael



on 1/21/07 5:58 PM, Bob WALKER at qwalkra1 at rawnet.com.au wrote:

> Graham
>
> Firstly - congratulations on your new trade acquisitions
>
> However - methinx that you should not be touting Mokoia as a hammer
>
> Its difficult to know who coined the term "hammer" but Michael Blood has
> certainly popularised it as a instantly recognised term in the meteorite
> community
>
> Walter Branch put a wot I feel to be lovely definition of wot a hammer stone
> should be on the hits page now maintained by IMCA
>
> Methinks Mokoia is better described as an observed fall or as my popularised
> term - the nearly nailed
>
> To say it is a hammer when it is not will simply I feel confuse matters and
> misinform the list
>
> Cheers
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "ensoramanda" <ensoramanda at ntlworld.com>
> To: <Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
> Sent: Monday, January 22, 2007 11:30 AM
> Subject: [meteorite-list] Exciting New meteorite
> material....Mokoia,Wairarapa and Alta Ameem
>
>
>> Hi All,
>>
>> Just had to share my excitement about this week...
>>
>> Not only will it be my first visit to the Tucson Show, but I have also
>> managed to trade for 3 really rare and interesting meteorites.
>>
>> First Mokoia (a few small fragments), but this is a really rare observed
>> 'hammer' (Nov 26 1908 12:30 hrs) from New Zealand, not only that, it's a
>> CV3.2, highly reduced. I have found a wonderful account of the hunt and
>> recovery, with pictures of the main mass and a lump of the tree with
>> splintered wound from the impact...I wonder where that ended up? See
>> the link below...well worth a read.
>>
>> Also in the link is detail about my second trade....a 25g part slice of
>> Wairarapa Valley, New Zealands *'first'* meteorite find, an H5 found in
>> Wellington in 1863 TKW 5.9kg ( I couldn't believe the size of the end
>> cut that the institution I traded with had, here in the UK. It must be
>> about half of the main mass, full of metal with faint brecciation/melt
>> and regmaglypts on 2 sides!)
>>
>> If anyone can locate a picture of the main mass exhibited in Auckland
>> Observatory I would be most grateful...I found one once last year but
>> cant seem to now!
>>
>> http://rsnz.natlib.govt.nz/volume/rsnz_42/rsnz_42_00_001870.html
>>
>> Finally a topical one... Alta ameem, a beautiful light grey LL5. It
>> assaulted Iraq, just 100 miles north of Baghdad back on August 20th
>> 1977, 30 years ago this summer (19g aquired). An observed fall with
>> many accounts and recovered reasonably quickly...my piece seems really
>> fresh although no fusion crust present...probably because the locals
>> broke up the main mass and shared it out, estimated at 30kg and only 6kg
>> was finally recovered. This is full of wonderful metamorphic crystals,
>> silver and brassy shocked metal fragments, black glassy dots...I need to
>> get it under the microscope and get some shots.
>>
>> The next link gives a good account of its mineralogy.
>>
>> http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-iarticle_query?1978Metic..13..
>> 257A&amp;data_type=PDF_HIGH&amp;type=PRINTER&amp;filetype=.pdf
>>
>>
>>
>> I will try and add these next links to photobucket shots I have uploaded
>> of the 3 trades. I hope this works as this is the first time I have
>> tried it. If it does I will try and image the Mokoia....that will be
>> much more difficult as very fragile.
>>
>> http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p276/LaburnumStudios/MokoiaJarandLabel.jpg
>>
>> http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p276/LaburnumStudios/WairarapaSlice.jpg
>>
>> http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p276/LaburnumStudios/WairarapaCut.jpg
>>
>> http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p276/LaburnumStudios/WairarapaRegs.jpg
>>
>> http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p276/LaburnumStudios/AltaAmeemLL5.jpg
>>
>> Finally....I had considered bringing some to Tucson but I am still
>> wondering about transporting meteorite material by air from the UK
>> through the USA, (and back for that matter as I hope to buy or trade
>> some at the show)
>>
>> Many of you must be doing this on a regular basis...what are the
>> problems that occur if small strange rocks are found in hand baggage or
>> hold baggage....do I have to clear it with the airlines in advance. I
>> don't want to turn up at the airport and be told that they are not
>> allowed...and end up loosing pieces...but also worried about leaving
>> them in the hold. Only a few days left before we fly and I would be very
>> glad of any useful advice from those with experience.
>>
>> Hope you find this makes a useful contribution to the list as I have
>> gained a great deal over the years from following all the very
>> informative strings over the years.
>>
>> Looking forward to Tucson.
>>
>> Regards
>>
>> Graham Ensor Nr Barwell UK
>> ______________________________________________
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>>
>
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--
It is difficult to get a man to understand something if his
salary depends on him not understanding it.
  - Upton Sinclair 
--
What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know.
It is what we know for sure that just ain't so.
   - Josh Billings (but oft credited to  Mark Twain)
  
Received on Sun 21 Jan 2007 10:21:47 PM PST


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