[meteorite-list] Meteorite Crashes Through Thailand House Roof

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2016 12:02:07 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201606281902.u5SJ278f014995_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1022213/meteorite-crashes-through-phitsanulok-house-roof

'Meteorite' crashes through Phitsanulok house roof
Bangkok Post
28 Jun 2016

PHITSANULOK - A mysterious rock, believed to be a meteorite, crashed through
the roof of a house in Phitsanulok's Muang district on Tuesday.

The suspected meteorite fell through the roof of a home in Plai Chumphon
sub-district at 7.26am, hit a wall and then bounced to the floor, breaking
into five pieces.

"I was having breakfast when there was a loud bang, like a gunshot sound.
I looked around and found a rock about the size of an egg and some fragments
nearby. I picked up the largest chunk and let go quickly as it was very
hot," 65-year-old home-owner Bualom Chalomprai said.

Mrs Bualom believes the rock is from outer space and will bring her good
luck.

Mrs Bualom's husband, Kittisak, 75, said he heard a sound of explosion
in the sky at about 7am before the 300g rock fell through his roof.

Media reports said residents in adjacent districts of Nakhon Thai and
Chat Trakan also heard the "explosion".

Scientists at Naresuan University's department of physics later carried
out an initial examination on a small fragment taken from the Chalomprai
family home and concluded the object could very likely be a meteorite
given its features and the circumstance under which it had been found.


Department head Sarawut Tuantam said the rock's crust was charcoal black,
indicating it had been burned entering Earth's atmosphere at very high
speeds. The test also found the chunk contained large amount of iron and
was attracted by a magnet.

Prof Sarawut added that the Chalomprais could keep the suspected space
rock as it had safe radioactivity levels.
Received on Tue 28 Jun 2016 03:02:07 PM PDT