Collecting MicroMeteorites During The Perseids

[Mrastronomer101]

During this years Perseids not only can you sit back and watch the pretty shooting stars. You can go and collect the meteorites your self. The reason that this works so well is because there will be 50 meteors per hour cmpared to a lousy 1 not even any other time. I don’t know how many of you actually know about this more of the experienced amateur astronomers probably do. There are a few ways you can do this go and set a small cardbox box somewhere open or up high put a piece of paper and a magnet underneath and leave it there for 2 maybe 3 depending on weather conditions. When you are done you can use a magnifying glass or a microscope to observe and identify them. Some of these may be small very very small or some may be visible to the naked eye. They will look like small shiny metal balls. The picture on the far left was my first picture with a crappy microscope. Here some more with my better microscope to give you a good idea.(not all of the images are mine) The other ways are taking some magnets and putting them in your spout after the shower. * these magnets should all be neodymium* place 1 or multiple magnets in a ziplock bag and put another magnet on the bottom of the spout so they stay in place. Wait until the rain is over and observe them with magnifying glass. You could also place a bucket or cup at the end of your spout then look pick it all up witha strong magnet. I hope that not to many of you know this so that my post will helpful. These tricks have worked dozens of times for me and they will for you. 

[John]

Thanks for that. Welcome to the forum by the way

There have been a few threads on this forum on that topic. Here is one from 2014 on a design for a micrometeorite trap:

 

[John]

I also found this interesting web article documenting the results of a 2017 scientific analysis of rooftop micrometeorites collected in Norway:

https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geology/article/45/2/119/195213/an-urban-collection-of-modern-day-large

 

[JamesF]

Thanks for that link, John.  I'd not seen it before.  I shall have a proper read later.  My trap is still going strong, though I have added another couple of magnets to the first to try to improve the capture rate.  Could be time to empty it again -- I usually leave it quite a few months between checks.

James

[Helen]

Thanks for this reminder ?  Coincidentally a friend just linked to this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Search-Stardust-Jon-Larsen-ebook/dp/B073FXVS6L/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1533828260&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=in+search+of+stardust  Looks worth a read ?

Helen

[John]

One of the good things about a micrometeorite collection is that it does not take up much room !

[Stargazer33]

Is it like 'scopes though; you always want a bigger one! ?

[LukeSkywatcher]

Clean your house gutters out with a magnet. You will get quite a few mini-meteorites.

[LukeSkywatcher]

6 hours ago, John said:

One of the good things about a micrometeorite collection is that it does not take up much room !

But easily lost.

[VNA]

2 hours ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

Clean your house gutters out with a magnet. You will get quite a few mini-meteorites.

Yes that works very well, particularly after a period of dry weather and then it starts raining with a pale under a down spout and then with a magnet a few tiny pieces should stick.

Or when one empty the pool sweep bag there will be a few of these tiny meteorites.
Apparently between 40 and a 100 tons of space dust falls on earth everyday!

[SIDO]

Are humans ever struck by meteorites? Yes quite often and they never even realize it, took them quite a while to discover the spherical shape of their home world too but some remain conflicted ?

Edited August 10, 2018 by SIDO

[John]

5 hours ago, SIDO said:

Are humans ever struck by meteorites? Yes quite often and they never even realize it, took them quite a while to discover the spherical shape of their home world too but some remain conflicted ?

This is the only example I know of a serious meteorite strike on a human:

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/02/130220-russia-meteorite-ann-hodges-science-space-hit/

There have been loads of cases where meteorites have caused damage to homes, buildings, cars etc. Such meteorite falls are known as "Hammer Stones" and some folks collect samples of them specifically. These and the "witnessed falls" command higher prices on the meteorite market than more regular "finds" which are meteorites that have already fallen to earth before being found (the clue is in the name !).

 

 

[SIDO]

Micrometeorites are meteorites. I just said folks get hit all the time. Pretty amazing we are being pelted on our knoggins quite regular and there's so few injuries.

[John]

6 hours ago, SIDO said:

.... Pretty amazing we are being pelted on our knoggins quite regular and there's so few injuries.

We have our atmosphere to thank for that

[LukeSkywatcher]

In February 2013, the sonic boom from a massive meteorite damaged buildings and injured more than a thousand people near the city of Chelyabinsk, Russia.

 

[LukeSkywatcher]

Im guessing all of them were injured by flying broken glass etc. I never read anything about anyone being injured directly by this meteorite.

[LukeSkywatcher]

13 hours ago, SIDO said:

Micrometeorites are meteorites. I just said folks get hit all the time. Pretty amazing we are being pelted on our knoggins quite regular and there's so few injuries.

Would you feel a grain of salt/sand landing on your head?. Thats basically what micro-meteorites are (size wise). 

[LukeSkywatcher]

Here's my collection of Chelyabinsk meteorites. Sorry for the rubbish photo. 

Edited August 10, 2018 by LukeSkywatcher

[LukeSkywatcher]

On 09/08/2018 at 03:06, Mrastronomer101 said:

During this years Perseids not only can you sit back and watch the pretty shooting stars. You can go and collect the meteorites your self. The reason that this works so well is because there will be 50 meteors per hour cmpared to a lousy 1 not even any other time. I don’t know how many of you actually know about this more of the experienced amateur astronomers probably do. There are a few ways you can do this go and set a small cardbox box somewhere open or up high put a piece of paper and a magnet underneath and leave it there for 2 maybe 3 depending on weather conditions. When you are done you can use a magnifying glass or a microscope to observe and identify them. Some of these may be small very very small or some may be visible to the naked eye. They will look like small shiny metal balls. The picture on the far left was my first picture with a crappy microscope. Here some more with my better microscope to give you a good idea.(not all of the images are mine) The other ways are taking some magnets and putting them in your spout after the shower. * these magnets should all be neodymium* place 1 or multiple magnets in a ziplock bag and put another magnet on the bottom of the spout so they stay in place. Wait until the rain is over and observe them with magnifying glass. You could also place a bucket or cup at the end of your spout then look pick it all up witha strong magnet. I hope that not to many of you know this so that my post will helpful. These tricks have worked dozens of times for me and they will for you. 

Quite a few of my meteorite collection (my stony irons) have those perfectly spherical metal balls, which are only visible with a microscope.

Edited August 10, 2018 by LukeSkywatcher

[John]

23 minutes ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

Im guessing all of them were injured by flying broken glass etc. I never read anything about anyone being injured directly by this meteorite.

Thats what this NASA piece says:

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/five-years-after-the-chelyabinsk-meteor-nasa-leads-efforts-in-planetary-defense

Allegedly a dog was killed by a meteorite that fell in Egypt in 1911. This seems a little doubtful but it was a very interesting meteorite, being of Martian origin:

http://meteoritestudies.com/protected_nakhdog.htm

 

 

[LukeSkywatcher]

6 minutes ago, John said:

Thats what this NASA piece says:

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/five-years-after-the-chelyabinsk-meteor-nasa-leads-efforts-in-planetary-defense

Allegedly a dog was killed by a meteorite that fell in Egypt in 1911. This seems a little doubtful but it was a very interesting meteorite, being of Martian origin:

http://meteoritestudies.com/protected_nakhdog.htm

 

 

"A fragment hit the dog, turning it to ashes instantly.

I have my doubts about that story. The "legend" is well explained though.

Edited August 10, 2018 by LukeSkywatcher

[JamesF]

11 minutes ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

"A fragment hit the dog, turning it to ashes instantly.

I have my doubts about that story. The "legend" is well explained though.

So would I.  I don't believe meteorites are supposed to be hot by the time they reach the ground.

James

[SIDO]

1 hour ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

Would you feel a grain of salt/sand landing on your head?. Thats basically what micro-meteorites are (size wise). 

I only said we were being hit by them I made a reference that we do not realize it, but some of them are ten fold or larger than a sand grain, you might slightly feel one of those but it will not cross your mind it could have been a meteorite...bug or something but you won't think meteorite.

[LukeSkywatcher]

6 minutes ago, SIDO said:

I only said we were being hit by them I made a reference that we do not realize it, but some of them are ten fold or larger than a sand grain, you might slightly feel one of those but it will not cross your mind it could have been a meteorite...bug or something but you won't think meteorite.

Exactly. I wasnt dissaggreeing with you.

Edited August 10, 2018 by LukeSkywatcher

[John]

21 minutes ago, SIDO said:

I only said we were being hit by them I made a reference that we do not realize it, but some of them are ten fold or larger than a sand grain, you might slightly feel one of those but it will not cross your mind it could have been a meteorite...bug or something but you won't think meteorite.

Micrometeorites are a maximum of 2mm in size, the vast majority are considerably smaller. By the time they reach Earth they have little or no velocity and are drifting down under their own weight.