353. What if a Meteorite fell in your back garden?
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| Meteorite found December 23rd 2012 |
A Meteorite
was found on the morning of December 23, 2012 in the locality of Cappella
Maggiore, on the lawn exactly at the rear of this study, of an ovoid shape
flattened on one side, weighing 897 grams and measuring approximately 9 cm x 11
cm, with a height of about 7 cm measured from the crushed side.
The
discovery occurred accidentally at 10.30 in the morning of the 23rd, noting the
unusual surface appearance of the ground, almost like the spoilt work of a
mole, compared to the rest of the field on which there was still the presence
of frost.
The
meteorite should be a "Siderite" as it seems to be composed only of
ferrous material or iron-nickel, as its surface appearance reveals and
particularly because of the specific weight to volume ratio.
Hypothetically
the time of impact could be placed at the previous evening, at approximately
21:00 on 22nd December when inside the
building a thud like far away thunder was heard, or better as a car-door
slamming violently, rather than a
firework. However, this is a mere hypothesis, with the benefit of hindsight, as
the building is soundproof and external noises are vaguely perceived and not
easily recognizable.
At the time
of extraction from the ground, the body appeared wet, cold to the touch, with a
brownish tint, like coal. Currently, faint rust coloured streaks have been
formed.
The site
itself is a field of a clay nature, and considering it was winter time, the
ground was frozen, at least, 20 to 30 cm in depth.
The impact
occurred on the west side of a slight depression of the lawn, which is about 10
cm for a diameter of about 100 cm from the above surrounding terrain.
It is
believed, however, that the two events are not connected as early as November
2012, during gardening, noted also by other people, in the natural formation of
the ground, more or less in the same place where the meteorite was found, there
was a kind of depression or false ground, not visible because masked by the
grass but to which no importance had been given.
©
www.ars-studio.it - January 8, 2013 - Photos by the author
