PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Meteorite: IT WAS CLOSE, I THINK!
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Old 5th August 2002 | 13:57
  #21 (permalink)  
Max Angle
25 Anniversary
 
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 1,424
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From: London,England
Meteors (and meteorites, obects that are big enough not burn up and end up hitting the ground) are very common, I often see 4-5 every time I do a night flight of more than an hour of so. The well known showers such as the Leonids and the Perseids (happening now) can produce huge showers and a good one is one of the true wonders of the sky. Check out:

http://comets.amsmeteors.org/meteors/calendar.html

for an online guide to the regular showers.

Amazingly over 3000 tons of material enters the atmosphere every day, most of it burns up but a fair bit hits the surface and a quite a lot gets collected by people, have a look at e-bay, there is a lot for sale. Most shops that sell rocks, fossils and minerals also sell meteorites, they are sold by the gram but you can get a little lump for £20-£30. If anyone in the UK is near Kew there is a great little shop near the station thats sells some lovely stuff.
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