Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-08-10
FALL OF A METEORITE.

The fall of a meteorite is usually ac-
companied by noises variously described
as resembling the fire Of musketry can
nonading or even thunder. II the fall
takes place during the periods Of dark
ness 1t is also accompanied by flash
of light and followed by a luminous rock
et-trail. These phenomena are due to
the rapid passage OF the objects through
the air, and Il consequent rise in tenn
perature sufficient to produce fusion OF
giving rise to the thin, dark, glass-like
crust which is found to cover all stony
meteorites. The time of passage through
the atmosphere is, however. too short to
permit the heat to penetrate to great
depths. and nearly all meteorites are
quite cool, or scarcely warm, on reach
ing the surface of the ground. It is to
the sudden rise In temperature and pres.
sure of the atmosphere. that the break
ing UP of a meteorte and its reaching
the ground as a shower of fragments
rather than single individual is due.
We have little to guide us in estimating
the speed at which a reteorite reaches
the earth and its consequent power Of
penetration The velocities as given by
various observers vary between two and
d miles a second. The greatest record
ed depth of penetration Of a meteoric
, stone is that of knyahinya. Hungary
| where a $50 pound stone penetrated TO
a depth Of II feet On the other hand
still heavier masses have been found un-
der such conditions as to lead one to in
fer that they scarcely buried themselves.
NOT ALWAYS HOT.
! All statements relative t. the temper
allure of meteorites Immediately after
reaching the ground must be accepted
guardedly, owing to their extremely
contradictory character. Some stones
which fell in Syria in 1859 are stated to
| have remained in a state of incandes-
cence for over five seconds, and for n
quarter of an hour were too hot to be
handled on the other hand, the Dhurm-
saa stone is said to have been intensely
cold when picked up Immediately after
| falling.
Reports Of the setting Z fires by the
| falling of meteorites must also be taken
with some degree of allowance. In the
cases of both Allegan and Winnebago
falls. the stones struck on the dried
grass, which was not charred in the
least, and one of them fell on a stack
of dry straw without ignting it.
The possibility of human beings and
| animals being struck by these falling
bodies has been discussed, and several
instances dating back to periods from
1911 to 1874 are mentioned in which per-
sons were killed. The absence of any
recorded instances Of this sort within
more recent times, however. renders the
occurrences doubtful.
| UPWARDS Of $50 falls and finds Of mete-
ortes have been reported, representa- !ves
Of which have found their way into NV
seums and private collections, and there
preserved for study and investigation.
The largest known meteoric mass is that
brought by Commander Peary from Cape
York, Greenland; this weighed 73,oo1
pounds The next largest lies in the
plain near Bacublrito in Mexico. and has
been estimated to weigh some 5o,oI1
bounds, while the third is that of Villa
mette, Oregon, weighing 3l,l07 pour ds,
These are ALL iron meteorites. The
largest known individual aerolite or me-
teoric stone is that of Knyahinya, Hun
gary, weighing some go pounds, now in
the Vienna national museum
DR.. Merrill says in conclusion that all
action OF heat and have yielded no traces
Of animal or vegetable life. although
parts of their peculiar structures were
at one time mistaken for organic re.
mains