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View Full Version : A Meteorite Tried to Get my Boy!


Eichhörnchen
10-19-24, 11:29 AM
https://i.imgur.com/VVEZQPd.jpeg


Monday 7th October (the week before last) and we were at the mother in law's bungalow. For a couple of days the weathermen had been going on about record sightings of shooting stars in the sky over the UK but it had been too cloudy for us to see anything much

It was late afternoon and getting dark - Moira and her mother arrived home in a cab having been shopping so I went out to help. Our son closed the driveway gates behind me to keep the dogs in and waited on the concrete apron, which is just a continuation of the drive alongside the house & into the garage. As we were unloading bags from the cab there was an almighty bang from somewhere near the gates and my boy called out "Did you hear that?"

We had no idea what it was and I was just going to ignore it until Moira called me back outside. "It was a rock" said our lad - "There it is!" He pointed to it and where it had hit the wheelie-bin right next to where he'd been standing - and I have no doubt that given the terrific bang it made it might easily have killed him if he'd been in the way

Moira assumed that someone had thrown it - unlikely in this fairly genteel neighbourhood - I was already thinking about the meteorite showers supposedly going on at that very time

https://i.imgur.com/7VhxvU7.jpeg

I'm wondering what you guys think - is it from outer space or off some grumpy neighbour's drive? It's only 5cm along its longest edge but it's hefty - feels like maybe there's iron in it. It doesn't look like it should be so heavy given that it seems to be porous. It's quite evenly pitted all over and looks like a volcanic rock.

https://i.imgur.com/pqu5dlF.jpeg

Jimbuna
10-19-24, 11:48 AM
I've no idea what it could be or where it could have come from but the main thing is your lad is okay.

Eichhörnchen
10-19-24, 12:02 PM
^
My main thought at the time - tried not to dwell on it I must admit

Aktungbby
10-19-24, 12:08 PM
...that's a meteorite; do your homework as I understand those are quite valuable to collectors. Someone will pay for that. Since it was found by your lad, 'twill possibly make a fine addition to his estate. Look under "Meteorite collector prices" online and start from there. :hmmm:

Eichhörnchen
10-19-24, 12:19 PM
^

I'll do that - I hadn't even thought it might be valuable :)

It sure doesn't look like anything I've ever seen before

mapuc
10-19-24, 12:49 PM
They are indeed.

A rock that had been used as a barn doorstop on a Michigan farm for more than 30 years is actually a massive meteorite worth over $100,000.



https://www.space.com/42084-valuable-michigan-meteorite-used-as-doorstop.html


Markus

Catfish
10-19-24, 03:42 PM
First congrats it did not hit anyone!

How big is it? Weight? If walnut-sized to double-walnut-sized it could(!) be a kind of aubrite, if so it would contain only few metal but mostly magnesium-silicate fosterite and enstatite. Also it would be very rare..

But not sure, so don't take my word for it :03:

Eichhörnchen
10-19-24, 04:12 PM
First congrats it did not hit anyone!

How big is it? Weight? If walnut-sized to double-walnut-sized it could(!) be a kind of aubrite, if so it would contain only few metal but mostly magnesium-silicate fosterite and enstatite. Also it would be very rare..

But not sure, so don't take my word for it :03:

It is indeed the size of a large walnut, 5cm along its longest edge and weighs 41g. I can see tiny sparkly specks in it, suggestive of silica

Moonlight
10-19-24, 05:05 PM
I'll start the bidding at 5p, that might be the best offer you could get. :O:

Raf1394
10-19-24, 05:18 PM
Wow. Amazing to see.

Eichhörnchen
10-20-24, 03:23 AM
I'll start the bidding at 5p, that might be the best offer you could get. :O:

Moira collects curios so she wants to keep it - it'd have to be worth a lot if we were to sell it but it would be interesting to get an estimate of its value

Aktungbby
10-20-24, 03:15 PM
Moira collects curios so she wants to keep it - it'd have to be worth a lot if we were to sell it but it would be interesting to get an estimate of its valueATTN. MODERATOR!
...now that Moira's puttin' the glom on her only child's Orionid meteorite, this whole thread should be moved to the pre-existing: 'The Latest Horror' thread to save valuable :subsim: bandwidth! :yep::O::shucks:

Rockstar
10-20-24, 04:19 PM
ATTN. MODERATOR!
...now that Moira's puttin' the glom on her only child's Orionid meteorite, this whole thread should be moved to the pre-existing: 'The Latest Horror' thread to save valuable :subsim: bandwidth! :yep::O::shucks:

I can see it now. The prize meteorite on prominent display surrounded by little miner figurines of The Seven Dwarves.

https://www.imghost.net/ib/ZPFFzt0G9lYAwYR_1729459648.jpeg

Eichhörnchen
10-20-24, 06:06 PM
@ Aktung & Rockstar - :har: oh dear oh dear :har:

Sean C
10-20-24, 06:07 PM
Wow! Glad he's alright. If it does turn out to be a meteorite, he'll have a great story to tell.

Aktungbby
10-20-24, 10:14 PM
@ Aktung & Rockstar - :har: oh dear oh dear :har:...'twixt me'n RockstarBBY; ya kin surely jus' feel the :subsim: luv bro'!:/\\k::()1::arrgh!:

Commander Wallace
10-21-24, 08:19 AM
I had a similar thing happen to me. An object fell out of the sky and landed close to me while I had been adjusting the Carburetors on my Motorcycle. This happened in the Spring. Upon further examination, I observed the object in question was red and very rectangular in shape. I determined it was a brick and not a meteor and deduced that it had fallen not from the sky but rather came from a neighbor who lofted it over the fence. Apparently, It was to show his displeasure with me over my interruption of his TV viewing of a nature show, Dis-functional Squirrels and the Nuts who love them. :doh:


In all seriousness, your Meteor discovery is great. I'm glad Lawrence, your Family or anyone else wasn't hurt by the rock.