[meteorite-list] Lorton Update

From: Mike Hankey <mike.hankey_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2010 01:20:17 -0500
Message-ID: <f0a794131001222220i7711f165mbff12a831c2e7b10_at_mail.gmail.com>

Gary,

Thanks for the compliments. It was exciting to spend a few days in a
new hot area especially one with such specific and accurate intel, but
regardless of the hammer stone, meteorite hunting is really hard work
and takes a lot of time. The current lack of video and other unknowns
combined with the reality of a possibly 8 mile long strewnfield
pointed in an unknown direction makes the odds of 'me' finding a
meteorite in VA about the same as finding one in PA. (at least in my
mind).

More importantly the reward for Lorton can not compare with that of
the PA meteor. Lorton has already been discovered, named and will soon
be classified. PA is still a mystery. It could be an ordinary, but you
never know it could be a pallasite or a lunar, martian or other. While
finding a meteorite regardless of the fall is something that I want to
do very badly (I'm still a meteorite hunting virgin), discovering a
meteorite is something entirely different. Its hard to find a
meteorite and a spectacular accomplishment but to discover a fall that
has never been found before... that's a big deal. In the history of PA
only 8 meteorites have ever been found. Finding this one would make
you the ninth person in 200+ years. You would be in the company of
1200 odd people in the history of man kind.

Most importantly I have a personal cosmic connection to the PA meteor
as a result of my experience with the fall. Its not about finding a
meteorite. Its a lot more complicated than that. I would trade a 1400
pounds of Brenham to find 10 grams of Paradise any day of the week.

Thanks,

Mike


And if I'm going to work that hard on meteorite hunting (something
that's not my full time profession) I don't want to waste the time and
effort on a fall that means nothing to me. I have a personal
connection to the PA meteor that is

To answer your question about PA vs VA.... its hard to explain. I have
a personal connection to the PA Meteor

On Sat, Jan 23, 2010 at 12:29 AM, Gary Chase <garychase at live.com> wrote:
>
> Nice webpage, Mr Hankey. ?Great story and photos.
>
> I was wondering about one thing you said -- Personally I think I?m going to sit the rest of this one out. I can only handle one fireball at a time.
>
> Why would you leave an area where a meteorite was found to go back to Penn. to work on a fireball where nothing has been found all these long months? ?I would think you would want to work where there is a bigger chance of success.
>
> Good job on keeping us all informed.
>
> Gary
>
>
>> Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:48:14 -0500
>> From: mike.hankey at gmail.com
>> To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>> Subject: [meteorite-list] Lorton Update
>>
>> Hey Guys,
>>
>> I just spent the last couple days in Lorton VA.
>>
>> No new meteorites have been recovered to my knowledge as of EOD today.
>>
>> There are still several hunting groups working the area and some of
>> them are committed to staying for a while.
>>
>> Its a relatively easy area to hunt, densely populated with town homes
>> and apartments with lots of parking lots, parks, common grounds and
>> businesses.
>>
>> Numerous eye witness reports are suggesting multiple rocks on the
>> ground, but until we get some video or find a second stone it will be
>> difficult to define the boundaries of the strewnfield.
>>
>> I posted an update with some pics and a couple of maps.
>>
>> http://www.mikesastrophotos.com/comets/lorton-virginia-meteorite-update/
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Mike
>> ______________________________________________
>> Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html
>> Meteorite-list mailing list
>> Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
> _________________________________________________________________
> Hotmail: Powerful Free email with security by Microsoft.
> http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/196390710/direct/01/
Received on Sat 23 Jan 2010 01:20:17 AM PST