Buying a meteor

[Mark Daniels]

Hi

i have a few bits and pieces of space stuff i have collected over the years. I have never owned a meteor though and i thought it might be nice to start a little collection

has anybody on here got a collection and if so could you give some advice please

looking on ebay there are lots but i really dont want to buy a piece of african quarry or something from someones back yard!

i realise there are many types and various areas of the world that produce but how can a novice tell that they are genuine and are there reliable/ reputable dealers or sources available?

cheers 

Edited July 22, 2019 by Mark Daniels
Rubbish spelling

[Paul73]

Hi Mark

Lots of reputable dealers sell through eBay. I wouldn’t buy from anyone who is not in the IMCA. As with most things, if it looks too good to be true, avoid!!

Or, try spacerocksUk.com. I’ve heard good things but never used him. Prices seem to be in line with the norm too.

Paul

[Mark Daniels]

41 minutes ago, Paul73 said:

Hi Mark

Lots of reputable dealers sell through eBay. I wouldn’t buy from anyone who is not in the IMCA. As with most things, if it looks too good to be true, avoid!!

Or, try spacerocksUk.com. I’ve heard good things but never used him. Prices seem to be in line with the norm too.

Paul

Brilliant thanks

[lukebl]

You can't buy a meteor! But you can buy a meteorITE. Sorry, I'm being pedantic!

I can recommend spacerocksUK. I have a fragment of the Chelyabinsk meteorite which I bought from them, with authentication documents.

[Peter Drew]

Always use a genuine dealer and correct authentication. The sequence astronomically is Meteoroid = Particle traveling in outer space, Meteor = particle burning up in the upper atmosphere, Meteorite = what's left of it that survives.    😀

[DaveS]

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/meteorites.html

From our favourite retailer.

[John]

Good advice above on sourcing meteorite samples - always use an IMCA registered source.

I've followed that myself having built up a small collection of specimens lately. There are a few UK dealers, quite a few European ones and loads of US based ones but the postage charges from the USA seem to have got quite expensive now - in some cases more than the cost of the specimen !

From previous experiences I'm a little wary of cut and etched irons and pallasite specimens - many of them are known "rusters" and can fall apart alarmingly quickly in the UK climate even if kept dry. My preference these days is for stones (chondrites and achondrites) and un-sliced iron pieces such as Sikhote Alin and Canyon Diablo which are resonably robust.

 

[Rusted]

I'm still waiting to hear how to catch one on its way down.
Cut out the middle man, so to speak.
What happens if you swallow one while you're looking up? 

[John]

5 minutes ago, Rusted said:

...What happens if you swallow one while you're looking up? 

The meteorite becomes known as a "hammer stone" ie: it hit something mand-made or someone, and increases in value many times

Then you wait .......