[meteorite-list] Rock testing...best place

From: Barry Hughes <bhughes_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Jun 2010 20:28:08 -0400
Message-ID: <AANLkTinKdf1kVrWWPQvcpguCwpXhFiycTLN55VITffes_at_mail.gmail.com>

Hi, Jason,
I kind of wish the curator at Ohio State had told me it was a creek
rock sometimes. I guess I just can't throw it out back and forget it.
 How sure do I have to be to get it tested?..1%, I don't think I have
to be sure at all? If the only guy that I had personally look at it
with an eye scope thing, had not told me to get it checked, maybe I
could live with not getting it checked... I'm not going to be
disappointed if it isn't, I think it will be relief..:).The money will
be well spent.
Thanks,
Barry

ps. I'm kinda amazed how upset some people get with this..I'm sure
there are people out there that would be eager to take my money and
analyze a driveway stone...:)


On Tue, Jun 15, 2010 at 5:40 PM, Jason Utas <meteoritekid at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello Barry,
>
> The trouble with finding a lunar or martian meteorite is the
> following: terrestrial rocks have undergone certain processes that
> make them look a certain way; whether they're igneous, metamorphic, or
> sedimentary rocks, they're pretty distinctive when compared to most
> meteorites.
>
> But achondrites can confuse things because they oftentimes come from
> larger planetismals where the rocks have undergone similar processes -
> this is especially true with lunar and martian meteorites, because
> both bodies had active volcanism that led to the formation of rocks
> that closely resemble terrestrial rocks - especially basalts, since
> those are common rocks on earth, as well as the moon and mars.
> Your stone does look like a basalt, there's no doubt about it. ?But as
> to whether or not it's a lunar - you're going to need to get it tested
> at a lab.
>
> Just...don't get your hopes up. ?There are more terrestrial basalts
> from earth on earth than there are pieces of lunar basalt on earth.
> The odds that you've found a piece of the moon...one in a million.
> Well, smaller.
>
> But I can't tell you it's not a lunar meteorite just by looking at it.
> ?No one on earth would be able to distinguish a visible difference
> between a typical lunar or terrestrial basalt unless it possessed
> obvious impact features (your sample doesn't; "stress" cracks in
> meteorites are actually extremely rare, and if what you do have is
> indeed a meteorite, you're almost undoubtedly looking at a crack that
> formed due to weathering, not impact or atmospheric entry stresses).
>
> So best of luck. ?That would be a pretty lunar, if it is one.
>
> Regards,
> Jason
>
>
>
> On Tue, Jun 15, 2010 at 2:27 PM, Barry Hughes <bhughes at sneezy.com> wrote:
>> That doesn't read well...I do thank you for your post. ?I'm learning
>>> the politics of meteorite hunting....
>>> Barry
>>
>> On Tue, Jun 15, 2010 at 5:01 PM, Barry Hughes <bhughes at sneezy.com> wrote:
>>> Thanks for your reply, Carl or Debbie..:)
>>> There are black patches, it doesn't take pictures well...and there is
>>> a large stress crack in the middle, hard to see in the picture, but to
>>> tell the truth, I really didn't want to get into..is this a meteorite
>>> or not...
>>> I got my question answered and I thank you for your response..
>>> Barry
>>>
>>> On Tue, Jun 15, 2010 at 4:07 PM, ?<cdtucson at cox.net> wrote:
>>>> Barry,
>>>> Sorry if this posted twice.
>>>> You may have a Lunar but, without a really good visible black shiny fusion crust
>>>> nobody will want to test it.
>>>> briefly , let me explain why.
>>>> First of all there is little reason to believe it is anything more than an
>>>> igneous rock.
>>>> They are found everywhere. Especially in the western USA. And your rock lacks
>>>> the exact contents of the pictured rock you are showing it with. Yours lacks the larger crystals.
>>>> Secondly, it has No fusion crust or even visible shock veins inside. Lacking both of
>>>> those features gives no reason to believe it was ever in space.
>>>> If you find someone with access to a scanning electron microprobe they could
>>>> tell you exactly what it is. That said. Based on certain elemental ratios they
>>>> could only rule out lunar origin but, they still could not confirm without more testing. Nearly 100 % of all
>>>> Lunar's must have O-isotopes that match Earth. This is only ever tested for ?on rocks
>>>> that they already know are Lunar's and largely just for confirmation because
>>>> every Earth rock is also going to have Earth O-isotopes.
>>>> So I agree with Phil. Even if it is Lunar, Until there becomes a lab that will
>>>> check, you are SOL.
>>>> Ted Bunch is our Lunar expert but, if he won't ?help you then keep looking
>>>> for other stones that actually look like they have once been in space and forget about this one.
>>>> Even Mike farmer has been fooled. And trust me. If anybody can tell a Lunar by
>>>> sight it is Mike. Period. If mike says no. It is a NO.
>>>> Try sending him a picture but don't mention me. ?He is the
>>>> best at identifying all meteorites on sight alone.
>>>> Cutting to the chase here. Lunar Meteorites tend to retain their crusts for a
>>>> very long time. After all it is glassy and glass is very durable in terms of weathering.
>>>> So, again . A lack of crust and shock veins means most likely an Earth rock. Sorry. Carl
>>>> --
>>>> Carl or Debbie Esparza
>>>> Meteoritemax
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ---- Barry Hughes <bhughes at sneezy.com> wrote:
>>>>> I've already taken to the geology dept at Dodd Hall, Ohio State. ?The
>>>>> guy there said he couldn't tell me it wasn't and to have it checked
>>>>> out.
>>>>> I've heard it's not a meteorite several times from several people with
>>>>> the uncanny ability to tell from a picture, or possibly the odds of it
>>>>> not being makes it so reassuring to do so.
>>>>>
>>>>> Barry
>>>>>
>>>>> On Tue, Jun 15, 2010 at 11:39 AM, JoshuaTreeMuseum
>>>>> <joshuatreemuseum at embarqmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> > Barry,
>>>>> > I hate to rain on your parade, but this is not a lunar and it's not a
>>>>> > meteorite. ?You don't have to pay to have it identified, just take it to the
>>>>> > closest university geology professor, and he'll tell you what it is. ?At
>>>>> > least once ?a month, someone comes in the museum with their new lunar find.
>>>>> > After I look at it and see it's not a meteorite, (it never is), I then tell
>>>>> > them that the chances of them being the first person to ever find a lunar
>>>>> > meteorite in all of North America, South America, Europe, and Asia is very
>>>>> > close to zero. ?Whatever the smallest increment above zero is, that's your
>>>>> > chance of being the first.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > If I'm wrong, you'll be the toast of the international meteorite community,
>>>>> > as well as being featured on the cover of Nature, National Geographic, Time
>>>>> > and Newsweek. ?You will also get to meet the President as you present your
>>>>> > find to the Smithsonian.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > Good luck, I could be wrong, but don't get your hopes up.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > Phil Whitmer
>>>>> > ______________________________________________
>>>>> > 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
>>>>> >
>>>>> ______________________________________________
>>>>> 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
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>> ______________________________________________
>> 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
>>
>
Received on Tue 15 Jun 2010 08:28:08 PM PDT