[meteorite-list] Weston

From: Monty Robson <mcrobson_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 15 May 2012 12:29:47 -0400 (EDT)
Message-ID: <7d2f3468.1d0370.137515582a1.Webtop.44_at_charter.net>

Dear List,

      I am happy to see this discussion, since I have considered asking
Mr. Blood for his Weston reference for some time.
      Dr. Isaac Bronson and Rev. Horace Holley conducted the first
expedition to the Weston fall area on 19 December 1807. They described
three stones. Professors Silliman and Kingsley beginning on 21 December
1807 conducted the next. Their first report described six stones
(including the three above). Their subsequent reports described seven,
after the Tashua Hill stone had been found and reported to them by Dr.
Bronson. Both expeditions also mentioned the stone that fell into the
swamp just south of the Burr homestead. None of these stones impacted
any sort of human artifact.
     I am quite sure there were other stones that were not found. The
strewn field is centered on the rugged Mill River valley, now the Easton
Reservoir. I have found tantalizing references to a few other stones,
but at this point they must remain unproven. But none of them hit
artifacts either.
      There is more than enough misinformation on this historic fall
already. Unless documentation can be produced that proves an artifact
impact, I suggest referring to Weston as a ?hammer? only serves to
discredit an author.
      The total fall mass of Weston is likely to have been on the order
of 150 kg, but the Catalogue of Meteorites is in error when describing
this figure as the recovered weight. Many of the described stones
impacted rock and were reduced to powder or otherwise unrecoverable
fragments. Most recoverable Weston was very quickly dispersed by the
local inhabitants and lost to science and collectors. This is why, to my
knowledge, no published accounting of Weston shows as much 25 kg.

Best regards,

Monty Robson



On Tue, May 15, 2012 at 10:55 AM, peterscherff at rcn.com wrote:

> Hi,
>
> When I have any doubt about a sample I ask about its provenance. If
> they are are unwilling to give me the info I requested I don't do
> business with them. Better safe than sorry.
>
> Peter
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Received on Tue 15 May 2012 12:29:47 PM PDT