[meteorite-list] Meteorite fell near Wynndel

From: Thunder Stone <stanleygregr_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 24 May 2011 12:30:32 -0700
Message-ID: <SNT117-W49ADC6A4F278276EDD08DBD2750_at_phx.gbl>

List:
I hope someone makes a find.
Good luck to anyone out there, an be safe.
Greg S
http://www.dailytownsman.com/article/20110524/CRANBROOK0101/305249994/-1/cranbrook/meteorite-fell-near-wynndel

Meteorite fell near Wynndel

Last weekend's meteor over Cranbrook would have fallen north of Wynndel, experts have calculated.
A Finnish astronomer, Esko Lyytinen, analyzed footage from meteor cameras in Cranbrook, Saskatchewan, Penticton and Calgary to determine the possible location of meteorites from the fireball.
"He went frame by frame through the video and he enhanced the stars so he could know the position," explained Rick Nowell, physics lab technician at the College of the Rockies.
According to Lyytinen, the meteor entered the atmosphere at a height of 79 kilometres. Initially weighing 20 kilograms, the meteor broke apart at least twice before dissolving into a trail of gravel. The flashes caught by the camera indicate the explosions.
Last week, Lyytinen drew on a map the area in which he believes the meteorites may have fallen. On Tuesday, he emailed The Townsman to add that he has received new footage, and he advises that the line should be continued up to another 10 kilometres further west.
"I will not give at this stage a new map, but it looks probable that it fell down more to the south west than the line or ellipse," said Lyytinen.
"It probably had a bigger entry velocity and higher beginning. This would also mean a somewhat smaller (than earlier expected) meteorite size on the ground."
Still, meteorite hunters could head north from Wynndel and search east of Duck Lake. If there is snow, Nowell said, look for a hole in the snow. Otherwise, take a metal detector.
"Your metal detector would beep as it goes over it and a magnet would pick it up. It probably has a lot of nickel and iron in it," said Nowell.
The meteor probably came from the asteroid belt, Nowell added.
"Usually they have little indentations in them. The rock will be smooth, but with lots of little dimples in it where it evaporated. The atmosphere sandblasts it coming down and melts it a bit," he said.
The meteorites' value could range widely.
"Common iron meteors can range from $.50/gram to $5/gram, rarer stoney meteorites $2 to $20/gram, and really rare ones $100 or $1000/gram or more, depending if they have embedded gems or if they're from Mars or the moon," said Nowell.

                                               
Received on Tue 24 May 2011 03:30:32 PM PDT