[meteorite-list] Which came first the chicken or the egg?

From: al mitt <almitt_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2011 10:19:19 -0400
Message-ID: <D2D16BB3F4E04D49BDF62DA7854E4FA3_at_StarmanPC>

Hi Shawn and all,

Perhaps I can shed some light on this subject. First, the Japanese also
found a lunar probably before ALH81005 but didn't get around to classifying
it until after Allen Hills. I think the same might be said of Calcalong
Creek that it wasn't studied for a while after the find. No doubt there are
other type specimens that are sitting in drawers that would have made
history as the first type specimen found but until the research is done then
we can't look back until something is officially recognized or we would
really be re-writing meteorite history all the time, regardless of the order
it was found. First come first served!

Calcalong Creek was a big deal in the 1990's when it officially became
recognized. I was invited to a dinner with Robert Haag, Joel Schiff of
Meteorite Magazine and the Nortons (Rocks From Space) (thanks Joseph!) and
after dinner we went to Bob Haag's house and into the vault. We got to see
many of Robert's fine specimens (Pena Blanca was amazing) but most of all we
were all able to hold his personal Calcalong Creek specimen. What an honor.
At this time I can't recall the date but will try to come up with one soon.

I'd say that Bob Haag probably had the specimen for a while, perhaps the
finder had specimen they were hanging on to before it reach the market and
sold to Bob. You also have to remember at that time 1970's when
Millbillillie was being collected, scientists didn't think it was possible
for lunar material to survive a trip to the Earth even though it had been
suggested a couple of centuries before hand. With the recognizing of Allen
Hills 81005 as lunar, it opened up many eyes that lunar meteorites do fall
and survive passage.

While you may be correct about the order of find, a certain order and
protocol had to first happen in order for the specimen to be finally
recognized. All my best!

--AL Mitterling

Mitterling Meteorites

----- Original Message -----
From: "Shawn Alan" <photophlow at yahoo.com>
To: "Frank Cressy" <fcressy at prodigy.net>
Cc: "meteoritelist" <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 1:10 AM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Which came first the chicken or the egg?


Yes I can agree that the ALHA81005 is the first classified meteorite,
however to say that it was the first lunar to be found has some little
doubts because of what had be going on in Austrial from 1960 to 1990 with
the collecting of the Millbillillie meteorites. I would like to see or hear
what Robert Haag can recall from that day when he found that specail
meteorite. Hes the first source and could help enlighten what he can recall
from the day he found the first lunar meteorite out side of Anartica and
could also be the first found lunar as well. Hope he reads this and can put
some light on to this fasinating discovery.


Shawn Alan
IMCA 1633
Received on Wed 27 Apr 2011 10:19:19 AM PDT