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Date: | Sat, 9 Dec 2006 11:50:55 -0500 |
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Phil -
In fact, that _is_ the correct definition of a meteorite. I've checked
several sources and they all are in agreement that a meteorite is the
metallic residue of a meteor that has reached the ground. I've occasionally
heard that it becomes a meteorite once it reaches the earth's atmosphere,
but this is not correct. It's a meteor until it actually hits the earth. So
what went through the air was a meteor and _if_ they find any residual
material, _that_ will be a meteorite.
Your friendly orthographer. <g>
----- Original Message -----
From: "Phil Scovell" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, December 08, 2006 7:46 PM
Subject: Meteorite In Colorado
At 7:55 this morning, a fairly good sized meteor shot across the Rocky
Mountains during rush hour. Thousands of people saw it, too. One man
called a talk show and he had just topped a hill when it shot across the sky
to the west. The sun had just come up in Denver but this thing was bright
green and left a nice bright green trail across the sky. Even with the sun
just up, this was still bright enough to be clearly visible. One of the
scientist they interviewed later said he guessed it might have been, based
upon the large visual display in the sky as it shot across the Rockies, that
it might have been as large as a basket ball when it made its appearance in
the sky. I'd be surprised if it were that big but you never know. Scared
the crap out of a lot of people, though. Boy, just think of the meteor
scatter that size would cause on 2 and 6 meters, haw. By the way, they said
when it is in the air it is called a meteor but when it is on the ground it
is called a meteorite. That doesn't sound right but that's what they
reported.
Phil.
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