[meteorite-list] More Meteorite Geography Trivia

From: Jerry A. Wallace <jwal2000_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2008 15:51:42 -0600
Message-ID: <49442E6E.8080502_at_swbell.net>

Sterling wrote:

> Well, the answer is that the chances of a meteorite landing
> anywhere are exactly the same as of it landing anywhere else.
> The "landing" of a meteorite is as purely random an event as
> any natural event can be. There is no causal connection
> between the path of the meteoroid and the geography of
> the Earth or indeed, anything about the Earth except that
> it got in the way of the meteoroid.

Hi Sterling, List,

I find it overwhelmingly necessary to take exception to your statement
(above).

It is a well known and established fact that the great majority of
meteors and
meteorites, given their druthers, aim for Texas. The ones that miss
Texas can
only be attributed to having poor marksmanship skills or exceedingly bad
taste.

Someone might point out that Northwest Africa seems to have an abnormally
high clustering of meteorites. Well, those were just wimps looking for a
soft
landing. Didn't need that kind in Texas anyway.

'Nuf said.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all,

Jerry Wallace

-----------------------------------------------------

Sterling K. Webb wrote:
> Hi, List,
>
> Michael wrote:
>
>> What are the chances of a meteorite landing on
>> a relatively-small island in the middle of a sea?
>>
>
> Well, the answer is that the chances of a meteorite landing
> anywhere are exactly the same as of it landing anywhere else.
> The "landing" of a meteorite is as purely random an event as
> any natural event can be. There is no causal connection
> between the path of the meteoroid and the geography of
> the Earth or indeed, anything about the Earth except that
> it got in the way of the meteoroid.
>
> If you were standing idly about in your front yard and a
> meteorite whizzed down and landed in front of your feet,
> you would jump and scream, "OMG! What are the odds
> of that?!" But the odds of that meteorite landing on the
> square meter you were standing on is unaffected by the fact
> that you were standing there. Likewise, any square meter
> you stand on, anywhere, is as likely to have a meteorite
> land on it as any other, whether that square meter of Earth
> is land or sea, for example. (Since nearly 70% of the Earth
> is water, 70% of all meteorites land there.)
>
> So, when you go out into your front yard tonight to wait for
> that meteorite to land at your feet, you can stand anywhere
> in the yard you want to! (Or sit in a yard chair, if you want;
> that doesn't affect the odds either.) Don't laugh! The meteorite
> that lands -- Plop! -- at someone's feet in the front yard has
> actually happened, and in relatively recent times. Check out
> the NOBLESVILLE (Indiana) fall.
>
>
> Sterling K. Webb
>
Received on Sat 13 Dec 2008 04:51:42 PM PST