Scientist answers how Peruvian meteorite made it to Earth

[Paxo]

Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news124466115.html if anyone is interested.

Steve..

[Brinders]

Thanks Steve for that link. I find the whole subject of meteor/meteorites fascinating. I attended the Jodrell Bank meteor party last August and was fascinated by the fact that it is possible to "hear" meteors as they speed through the atmosphere using an FM radio tuned to a very weak signal. The demo was given by one of the astronomers there. The signal increases slightly as the radio wave bounces off the ion trail generated by the meteor as it passes through the atmosphere. Cheap but effective radio astronomy though I have yet to try it myself.

[John]

Thanks Steve, that was an interesting link. I wonder if they will be able to find any fragments of the meteorite in the bottom of the craters ?.

I'm fascinated by meterorites and I used to collect specimens of them - had about 30 different types at one time including fragments from the Moon and Mars.

I eventually decided that I preferred to invest in astro equipment so I sold my collection - I might try and build up another more modest one though

John

[Talitha]

Thanks for the link!

Is this the one that made people in the area sick?

[Paxo]

Thanks for the link!

Is this the one that made people in the area sick?

Yes it was , but on examination of the soil and groundwater they found that they had been previously contaminated by heavy metals and it was disturbance of this by the impact rather than the meteorite itself that caused 'the sickness'

Steve..

[Talitha]

Thanks for the update, Steve.