[meteorite-list] Hole in Red Rock Lounge RoofStill aMystery?????

From: Chris Peterson <clp_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 2010 14:40:21 -0700
Message-ID: <5042D04A6C694663AAFF3771E4BCFAE2_at_bellatrix>

The report indicates that patrons of the bar heard the boom at the same time
as the hole appeared. The description seems to suggest something more like a
sonic boom or explosion than simple impact noise, which is also supported by
reports from more distant witnesses. That is certainly not what we'd expect
from a meteorite event.

Many explosive devices burn far too fast to leave burn or scorch marks, and
aside from the comment in the article, nothing convinces me that an object
moved down, rather than up. The two can be very difficult to tell apart.

Certainly, a meteorite is possible. But that doesn't explain the booming
noise, the lack of any fireball, and it doesn't explain the complete absence
of any meteoritic material inside the bar. Lightning (there was some snow
thunder that evening- I heard it myself) or some sort of fireworks are far
more likely.

Chris

*****************************************
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com


----- Original Message -----
From: "Meteorites USA" <eric at meteoritesusa.com>
To: <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 05, 2010 1:35 PM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Hole in Red Rock Lounge RoofStill
aMystery?????


Hey Chris, List,

The report does state that there were no burn marks (possible
fireworks?) or evidence of anything hot. D) If you look at the photos
you'll notice the opening seems to support a "falling" object. Robert
said himself, (unless misquoted) that ?If you look at that hole, it
shows that something small hit the roof at a high velocity,?

The comment "...reports of a loud noise almost precisely at the moment
the building was struck are a solid clue that the object didn't come
from space...." is misplaced and presumptive in my opinion. This is
assuming the "loud noise" in question was a sonic boom, which people
didn't say sonic boom, they said loud boom. The people who reported the
"boom" were only 3 blocks away. And how do they know the exact moment of
impact anyway since they saw nothing? No one except the people in the
bar at the time of the event know that, or perhaps an eyewitness
standing on the street outside the bar.

It's highly possible it could have been some explosive device such as
fireworks. A large mortar could possibly make a whole that large. But
the lack of burn marks doesn't support that.

Unless...

Here's a scenario. A large mortar exploded ABOVE the roof, not on it,
and a piece of debris flew through the roof and ceiling tile. This would
explain the lack of burning, it would explain the boom that was heard,
and would explain the hole in the roof. It would also explain why there
is no meteorite or rock found as of yet because while people are busy
searching for rocks, the "debris" that actually caused the hole could be
a hidden amongst the pieces of roofing material, wood splinters and
insulation and look like nothing more than piece of the roof. Anyway,
that's what I get from it, but what do I know?

"...The hole was clearly made from the roof down, which meant it wasn?t
caused by gunfire in the bar, and there?s no burn marks or signs of high
heat that would indicate lightning...."

The point is something either blew a hole in the roof or knocked a hole
in the roof from to TOP DOWN. It's still a possibility that it could be
a meteorite. Until proven it's not, we have to be open about the
possibility.
Received on Tue 05 Jan 2010 04:40:21 PM PST