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From: meteorobs-digest
Subject: meteorobs-digest V4 #1295
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 12:26:13 -0500 (EST)
meteorobs-digest Monday, December 22 2003
Volume 04 : Number 1295
1) (meteorobs) fyi more Ripley's Believe It or Not
meteors/meteorites
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Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 12:05:08 EST
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: (meteorobs) fyi more Ripley's Believe It or
Not meteors/meteorites
Here is the latest information on the eclipse and
fireball stuff that I have managed to find out
concerning that Ripley's believe it or not information
I found it in one of Ripley's books.
It seems, as I read it from the information that I
found, that a lighthouse was hit by a lightning type
of fireball and not a meteoroid fireball.
Also about the fact that a a cruiser/ship was hit by a
Meteor type fireball as it said in the book and that
that most of the men jumped ship after the strike. It
seems that the fireball took place about the same time
as that lighthouse was struck but once again not a
meteor fireball but a lightning strike.
While a ship was close to shore when the ship was
destroyed, a few members survived. However if it was
close to shore, why did it take so long for those
crew members to get to shore. Mystery again?
The other meteorite tale seems to be true and well
documented though.
Dr. Eric Flescher ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
FGU astronomy consultant, Harvard U.-
Member, ASKC (Astronomical Society of Kansas City),
Comet Observers Award Moderator, Astronomical League.
(http://www.astroleague.org/al/obsclubs/obsclub.html)
http://members.aol.com/kcstarguy/blacksun/cometaward.htm
State of Kansas- Solar System Ambassador - JPL (Jet
Propulson Lab);
7 total solar eclipses and counting
(send messages to the network at )
[EMAIL PROTECTED];
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**
Greetings
Well I was the first one to hear about this and tell
you all about it to find more. I would like to update
what I have found for your information.
Regarding my original transcription that I found in a
book at one of my middle schools in Kansas (part of
the read a book program) - see below).
The meteorite that hit the car is well explained and
everything correct as I wrote it except I got the name
of the town wrong. One person even said he saw
the meteor.
The 1907 was another storm to explain however. I did a
number of searches on the internet and found the
information and websites (see below).
I found this at
http://www.southwestlife.com.au/history1201.htm
AND this is where it got confusing. It appears that a
fireball hit the station but that is was not a
meteorite type fireball but one related
to lightning.
The following was said
Of course, you can't have a lighthouse without
shipwreck stories. Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse has
many, but one of the most interesting is the Carnarvon
Castle, which caught fire off the coast in 1907. The
ship was a fair way out to sea, and the crew members
had to jump ship. The 14 survivors floated in
lifeboats in the Indian Ocean for 27 days before
reaching Cape Naturaliste. The lighthouse keeper at
the time, Patrick Baird, and his family, took them
in and cared for them until they were OK to travel
again.
It seems that crew did jump ship from sort of a
lightning fireball but that is was not meteor in
nature. I am not sure why it took so long for the crew
who did survive , to make it to shore. I also did not
see any mention of the name of the ship called
eclipse.
So all is well concerning the meteorite hitting the
car. But I think the information about the meteor
hitting the ship was not correct as far as I can
fathom.
Well this is what I have so far. Thanks for your
interest.
In Ripley's Believe it or not a book for kids there
was this :
On Oct 9, 1992 a Michelle Knapp of Peeksville, NY
found that a a big meteorite hit her truck/car which
landed with a foul smelling odor.
She got paid for the meteorite tricking car and also
got $50,000 for the Meteorite!
Also
in 1907, it was told that a meteor struck the sailship
Eclipse in the mid Pacific ocean. The mast was carried
and only 3 of the crew survived on a Lifeboat. They
rowed 900 miles to Hawaii in 13 days.
Anyone every heard of either particular the 1907 one?
Dr. Eric Flescher
***
These are some other resources I found.
The Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse
1907 was an eventful year for this lighthouse with the
wreck of the Carnarvon Castle and the impact of a
fireball on the tower and quarters. ...
www.lighthouse.net.au/lights/WA/Cape%20Naturaliste/
Cape%20Naturaliste.htm
http://www.southwestlife.com.au/history1201.htm
Of course, you can't have a lighthouse without
shipwreck stories. Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse has
many, but one of the most interesting is the Carnarvon
Castle, which caught fire off the coast in 1907. The
ship was a fair way
