[meteorite-list] 15th Anniversary of the Peekskill Meteorite Fall

From: bernd.pauli at paulinet.de <bernd.pauli_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: 09 Oct 2007 17:49:41 UT
Message-ID: <DIIE.000000BC00002090_at_paulinet.de>

Analysis of the fireball's flight path led to the determination of
the object's orbit: ... it originated from the main asteroid belt.

Orbital Parameters:
        
Semimajor axis = 1.49 AU
Eccentricity = 0.41
Perihelion distance = 0.886 AU
Argument of perihelion = 308?
Long. ascending node = 17.030?
Inclination = 4.9?
Orbital period = 1.82 yr


Ron Baalke wrote:

"I obtained a piece of the Peekskill meteorite just a few weeks after it
had fallen, and my piece has red paint from the car on the fusion crust."

Hi Ron and List,

Ron, here is what you wrote Tue, 27 Jan 1998. Remember?

"Cool photo! I obtained my first piece of Peekskill back in 1992, just a
mere 2 weeks after the meteorite had hit the car. Marlin Cilz had just
bought the main mass and mentioned to me that there was red car paint
on it. I bought a 26 gram piece and specifically asked for a piece with
red paint, which he complied. Marlin also sent me several color photos
of the meteorite (photos of the whole meteorite - before it was cut up).
A black-n-white version of one of the photos would appear on page 86
of "Rocks from Space" (1st edition) which shows Marlin holding the
meteorite with members of the Knapp family. Most people probably
don't realize that the meteorite just narrowly missed the gas tank of the
car by a few inches. The meteorite also made a small depression under-
neath the car (the Peekskill crater?), which I also have a photo of. In
1993, I went to the Tucson show, which had the Peekskill meteorite and
car on display. I got to hold the main mass, which by then had been sliced
up and was about half of its original size."

Oh well, time flies, doesn't it!?

I obtained my piece of the Peekskill meteorite on February 22, 1993
and I bet the wording is a telltale testimony to who I got it from ;-)

Olivine Bronzite Chondrite
Peekskill, New York
Type: Becciated H5 or 6
Total Known Weight: 12.3 kg
Fell October 9, 1992

Choice light gray polished partial slice with
rich black fusion crust along the outer edge.

Size: 40 x 35 x 5 mm
Weight: 13.3 gram*

*a tiny fraction of which (breakage) now resides
in Alex Seidel's Collection if he still has it.

With a peek at
your skills,

Bernd
Received on Tue 09 Oct 2007 01:49:41 PM PDT