[meteorite-list] New meteorite hunt?

From: ensoramanda <ensoramanda_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 07 Nov 2007 10:07:51 +0000
Message-ID: <47318E77.5020401_at_ntlworld.com>

Hi All,

Last week I was contacted by a landowner in the UK who has an elderly
uncle with an interesting story. He seems like a typical farmer who
went about his daily chores each day all through his life without any
wish for outsiders intruding on his land or in his business. He gives an
account of being out shooting one day near Christmas in the mid
sixties...he cannot remember the exact date. As a farmer each day was
much the same as any other. The light was fading at the end of the
afternoon when he heard a whooshing noise and there was a large bang and
a thud a few yards from him in the field which shocked him and nearly
knocked him off his feet. He was frightened and did not investigate it
immediately as he was on his way home and the light was fading rapidly.
He says he did return the next day and found an almost vertical hole in
the field. He could see down to the bottom where there appeared to be a
dark football sized lump and he could reach down and touch it.

He thought it may be a meteorite at the time but never followed it up or
tried to extract it...and seems he never really discussed it with many
others. Only recently has he retold the story to his nephew and son.

I feel that this is a promising story. As a farmer back then it is
unlikely he would make up a story that fitted what really happens in a
meteorite fall. Most made up stories involve seeing bright fireballs
hitting the ground when they have little knowledge of such things.

The other possibility which fascinates me is that this possible fall is
almost diectly in line with the Barwell strewnfield/fireball path but a
lot further down the line and the time matches well...1965, christmas
eve at the end of the afternoon...4.20pm. (There are reports of Barwell
being one of 3 diverging fireballs...I used to have a diagram of their
reported paths...but cant seem to find that now :-( ...anyone else have
similar?) Although I would have thought he would have remembered it was
Christmas eve. He did say though that he had heard of another meteorite
fall on the news around about the same time...but he thought that was in
the USA! A new British meteorite would be good though.

They think they have identified the area it fell in down to a hundred
yards or so and I have visited the house and given as much advice as
possible. We buried a large chondrite down to about 2ft in similar
ground...apparently ...but I think they are going to struggle to find it
at that depth. The signals were not that consistent with my Whites M6.
Although I know that in theory disturbed ground would disrupt the
signal...so perhaps it may show up better than our tests indicate.

They wish to try and find it themselves and are rather secretive about
the exact location and so I now I think have to leave them to it for a
while to try and find it. If they have no luck then I might get a chance
to have a go...they say they will keep me informed. They have borrowed
my detector and I seem to have struck up a good relationship with
them...so we will see! After many years in our climate it may well be
disintegrated anyway.

Frustrating really! ...but quite exciting.

This may never come to anything...but I feel I have to follow it up and
would be grateful for any other advice.
I was wondering if the experienced hunters out there had some extra
advice? I know that iron meteorites will give a good signal...but what
about chondrites...this would be an L6 if it is paired with Barwell..but
could be anything.

What other methods or equipment might penetrate more to that
depth...without spending a fortune!! Is it possible to distinguish more
between hot rocks and meteorites when detecting etc etc?


I wish I was out there now , digging with anticipation!

Yours hopefully,

Graham Ensor.
Received on Wed 07 Nov 2007 05:07:51 AM PST