Officially, Vesta is a "minor planet" -- a body that orbits the sun but is not a proper planet or comet
let's hope that this lump of rock won't hit the earth one day.
Officially, Vesta is a "minor planet" -- a body that orbits the sun but is not a proper planet or comet
let's hope that this lump of rock won't hit the earth one day.
Not unless something very big knocks it our way!!!
Very interesting Ron.
I have 2 small meteorites that are identified as originating from Vesta.
Hi Jeanette;
This is the Science Forum, so I feel it reasonable to ask the following questions:
i) what testing has been done on your samples (& who did them);
ii) what were the results of these tests;
iii) how was the conclusion made that they are meteorite fragments;
iv) what evidence exists that the fragments may be V-type asteroids;
v) how was the conclusion made that they are V-type asteroids.
Its an interesting topic, and I'd appreciate a better understanding of the full story.
Thank you, (in advance), for sharing whatever information you may have.
My meteorites are from the witnessed fall at Tatahouine, Tunisia, 27th June 1931.
They are classified NWA 1877 - Olivine Diogenite.
Beryllium-Neon cosmic ray measurements indicate that the entire Tatahouine mass traveled in space as a meteoroid for approximately 38 million years. Meteoriticists have studied a proposed impact event believed to have occurred on the differentiated asteroid (4)Vesta.
Due to its intrinsic properties, Tatahouine is classified by petrologists, as a DIOGENITE class meteorite. Diogenites are part of the greater class of achrondritic "H-E-D" family of meteorites, or Howardites, Eucrites, and Diogenites, the basic three types of classifications well accepted to be from the (4) Vesta impact event described. This fact corresponds nicely with the (4)Vesta parent body theory for Tatahouine, as all Diogenites are currently considered to be from (4)Vesta.
Not sure Craig.
I bought them from Galactic Stone. http://www.galactic-stone.com/
There may be more details if you dig into his website.
Careful though, his shopping cart has well oiled wheels and it's very hard to say no to some very nice samples.
My little bits of Vesta cost less than $10.
My tiny granules of Mars though, oh boy. But it's worth it to be able to say that I've actually touched Mars.
Not sure Craig.
I bought them from Galactic Stone. http://www.galactic-stone.com/
There may be more details if you dig into his website.
Careful though, his shopping cart has well oiled wheels and it's very hard to say no to some very nice samples.
My little bits of Vesta cost less than $10.
My tiny granules of Mars though, oh boy. But it's worth it to be able to say that I've actually touched Mars.
Very cool Jeanette.
Much appreciated. I'll cruise their site with much interest.
was purchased in Zagora by a Moroccan dealer for an "A. and G. Hupé (Hupé) in June 2003 and more of the same material (622 g) was purchased in Tagounite in December 2003.
The original 312 grams, was found in Morroco/Algeria.
The classification of the original looks to have been done by:
Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygin Str. 19, Moscow 117975, Russia.
Looks like the original may have 'done the rounds', also.
Seems like the bulk of it has ended up at the Dept. of Earth & Space Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 (irving@ess.washington.edu), Carnegie Institution, Washington, DC 20015, The Hupé Collection.
The complete absence of plagioclase may imply that NWA 1877 comes from greater depths in the Vestan mantle than any of the other olivine diogenites (which could represent deep crustal cumulates from eucritic magmas).
Not sure Craig.
I bought them from Galactic Stone. http://www.galactic-stone.com/
There may be more details if you dig into his website.
Careful though, his shopping cart has well oiled wheels and it's very hard to say no to some very nice samples.
My little bits of Vesta cost less than $10.
My tiny granules of Mars though, oh boy. But it's worth it to be able to say that I've actually touched Mars.
I recently purchased a meteorite from a dealer at our local gem and lapidary show, it is an end cut (gotta love end cuts!) of the Wiluna meteorite which fell in Western Australia. It was the end result of a witnessed fall on the 2nd Sept, 1967. http://www.crystalencounters.com.au/
I regularly purchase a meteorite from this fellow at Minerama (Glen Innes) but i couldn't make it this year, luckily he came to our local lapidary club show and i was able to make it. He even let me hold a $26,000 Millbillillie specimen (Eucrite) which was about the size of 2 housebricks! Unfortunately my wallets not that big.
I notice Mr Yep's site has an IMCA (International Meteorite Collector's Association) membership. They advertise 'Authenticity Guaranteed'. Being curious, I checked up how they provide such guarantees. From the IMCA website:
Quote:
IMCA is especially committed to 'authenticity' due to the technical aspects of meteorite identification. Since petrographic and mineralogical analysis is not easily available to all, meteoritical claims may not be verified by a buyer until much time has passed following the transaction, if at all. Unscrupulous persons have tried to capitalize on this weakness with forgeries, fakes, and switched meteorites. In order to ensure 'authenticity' IMCA members are encouraged to keep accurate records and 'monitor' each other's auctions and sales.
It seems they rely as much on the Ethical Standards of their members, as on scientific analysis. Their Code of Ethics is here. I guess this arrangement parallels the gemstone industry process. My view on this is, that I can see that when someone buys a gemstone, they are as motivated by the aesthetic appearance of the sample as much as the authenticity. If the sample turns out to be inauthentic, at least you still have a pleasing looking sample.
With meteorites however, I can see that, perhaps, the motivation behind the buyer may be more skewed in the direction of buying authenticity.
For anyone wanting to check the authenticity of a sample, they list the institutions who specialise in classification. The list is here.
The only site in Australia they mention is:
"The Meteorite Shop/Bathurst Observatory, New Zealand/Australia."
They have a link called: "Classification Service Instructions", but this page has been removed.
I guess, being interested in science and the way the real world works, I agree with Steven's (sjastro's) spectroscopic analysis for the ultimate authentication.
When is an Asteroid Not an Asteroid
and will be following this mission with interest
the bit about my name being on it was just an add on.
