Hi,
Thanks, everyone, for the initial wave of responses both on and off
list.
I've clarified the following two points raised below and have taken a
path
similar to what Doug mentioned (also below).
Hopefully our learning what meteorite this is will prove helpful.
Please
circulate as you deem appropriate.
Here are the pics. http://www.flickr.com/photos/darrylpitt/
Best/ d
On Feb 14, 2012, at 7:06 AM, John higgins wrote:
Hi Folks,
Sandy Hook is a national Park, regular civilians don't live there.
There
are no 75ft escarpments in Sandy Hook. Maybe if the guy said he was
from
Atlantic Highlands, that would make more sense..... This story is full
of holes, Daryl please be careful.
Best Regards from New Jersey,
John Higgins
IMCA # 9822
www.outerspacerocks.com
He is from Highlands, NJ near Sandy Hook. I remembered the Sandy Hook
reference and provided it as a general location in Northeastern, N.J. I
didn't know that Sandy Hook was not also a town.
On Feb 13, 2012, at 11:52 PM, Pete Pete wrote:
I agree with Mike, Daryl!
I'm trying to imagine a scenario of a house on a ravine, a guy finding
a
rusty lump, and the wife persistently tries to throw the lump out in
the
garbage(?!) instead of simply heaving it over the fence?
Doesn't track. Sounds like a scripted story.
Like we say at work - "The name's Tucker, not sucker!"
Pete
No fence. (I asked as I was also bewildered). Reportedly found at the
edge of an escarpment. The wife seems honest and was the one doing the
sleuthing here.
On Feb 14, 2012, at 3:15 AM, MexicoDoug wrote:
"A seemingly honest fellow from Sandy Hook, NJ came to my office late
today in
the hope I could verify what he was told could be a meteorite---and it
is."
"are honest....but I just don't get it."
Hi Darryl,
Either you run with it or you give it back. But posting the pictures
of
the etch pattern should be pretty good evidence of some of the larger
transported falls.
Lots of explanations could account for the meteorite (the prior owner
died and the rock stayed on the porch --- it's happened before
...etc.),
but if we listen to Jefferson, while it would be easier to believe
they
are lying, the facts are what must be established. What do you have to
lose? If you don't want to risk time and money, just see if they'll
fax
a release giving you permission to have it analyzed and just for your
own protection slip in that they represent in good faith that the
meteorite is their property and presented to you as an unknown for
verification (which you mention is what gives them the right to have
it
analyzed since meteorites can be valuble)...
Good luck, if it's a scam, bring it on. Let's see those pix...After
all, no obvious match on the etch is great news no matter how you
*slice* it. If the etch matches a large widely distributed fall, but
they insisted and you wanted out,you could always offer to take a nice
slice to pay your expenses in case it turns out to be common. Does
that
make sense?
Kindest wishes
Doug
On Feb 13, 2012, at 10:45 PM, Darryl Pitt wrote:
Folks,
I need your help; there is a problem here---I'm just not certain as to
its nature.
A seemingly honest fellow from Sandy Hook, NJ came to my office late
today in the hope I could verify what he was told could be a
meteorite---and it is.
This fellow said that just after he moved in a year ago, he found it
on
the embankment of his backyard just beyond which is a 75 foot
escarpment. The wife said she tried to throw the rusty thing out a
couple of times and both times he rescued it from the garbage. It is a
medium octahedrite which weighs 4.236 kg. How do I know it's a medium
octahedrite? I could make out a feint pattern underneath a veneer of
rust on the cut face. Yes, roughly speaking, this fellow found a cut
and prepared meteorite in his backyard.
The fellow left the specimen in my possession and agreed to allow me
to
have a sample removed and forwarded for analysis. I advised him there
could be a problem here that could be readily determined---and he
didn't
seem fazed. While I've been accused of being naive, I nonetheless
genuinely believe he and his wife are honest....but I just don't get
it.
Any thoughts here? Northeastern New Jersey. End piece. Medium
octahedrite. 4.2 kg.
I'll get a pic posted tomorrow.
All best and thanks / d,
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