Sylacauga (meteorite)
| Sylacauga | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Type | Chondrite |
| Class | Ordinary chondrite |
| Group | H4 |
| Country | United States |
| Region | Alabama |
| Coordinates | 33°11′18.1″N 86°17′40.2″W / 33.188361°N 86.2945°WCoordinates: 33°11′18.1″N 86°17′40.2″W / 33.188361°N 86.2945°W |
| Observed fall | Yes |
| Fall date | 18:46 U.T. on November 30, 1954 |
| TKW | 5.56 kg |
The Sylacauga meteorite fell on November 30, 1954 at 2:46pm (18:46 U.T.)[1] near the town of Sylacauga, Alabama. Although officially known as the Sylacauga meteorite, it is often referred to as the Hodges meteorite because a fragment of it struck Ann Elizabeth Hodges (1923–1972).[2]
The Sylacauga meteorite is the first documented extraterrestrial object to have injured a human being. The grapefruit-sized fragment crashed through the roof of a frame house in Oak Grove, Alabama, bounced off a large wooden console radio, and hit Hodges while she napped on a couch. The 31-year-old woman was badly bruised on one side of her body but able to walk. The event received worldwide publicity.
The Sylacauga meteorite is not the only extraterrestrial object to have struck a human. In 1992 a very small fragment (3 g) of Mbale meteorite hit a young Ugandan boy,[3] but it had been slowed down by a tree and did not cause any injury.
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[edit] Fireball
The meteor made a fireball visible from three states as it streaked through the atmosphere, even though it fell early in the afternoon.[4]
[edit] Following events
The United States Air Force sent a helicopter to take the meteorite. Eugene Hodges, the husband of the woman who was struck, hired a lawyer to get it back. The Hodges' landlord, Bertie Guy, also claimed it, wanting to sell it to cover the damage to the house. There were offers of up to $5,000 for the meteorite. By the time it was returned to the Hodgeses, over a year later, public attention had diminished and they were unable to find a buyer willing to pay.[citation needed]
Ann Hodges was uncomfortable with the public attention and the stress of the dispute over ownership of the meteorite. Against her husband's wishes, she donated it to the Alabama Museum of Natural History.
[edit] Fragments
Upon the entry within the atmosphere the Sylacauga meteorite fragmented in at least 3 pieces[1]:
- The Hodges fragment (3.86 kg - 33°11′18.1″N 86°17′40.2″W / 33.188361°N 86.2945°W) struck Ann Elizabeth Hodges.
- The McKinney fragment (1.68 kg - 33°13′08.4″N 86°17′20.7″W / 33.219°N 86.289083°W) was found the next day.
- A third fragment is believed to have impacted somewhere near Childersburg (a few km north-west of Oak Grove).
[edit] Classification
The Sylacauga meteorite is classified as an ordinary chondrite of H4 group[2].
[edit] Orbit
The meteoroid came in on the sunward side of the Earth, so when it hit our planet it had passed the perihelion and was travelling outward from the Sun. Considering the orbit estimations, the best candidate as parent body is 1685 Toro[1].
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c H. Povenmire. The Sylacauga, Alabama Meteorite: The Impact Locations, Atmosphere Trajectory, Strewn Field and Radiant. H.Povenmire. Abstracts of the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, volume 26, page 1133, (1995)
- ^ a b Meteoritical Bulletin Database: Sylacauga
- ^ Fragment of Mbale meteorite hit a young Ugandan boy.
- ^ The Sylacauga, Talladega County, Alabama, Aerolite. Swindel, G.W. & Jones, W.B. - Journal: Meteoritics, volume 1, number 2, page 125.
[edit] External links and references
- The Sylacauga, Talladega County, Alabama, Aerolite. Swindel, G.W. & Jones, W.B. - Journal: Meteoritics, volume 1, number 2, page 125.
- University of Alabama News: 50th Anniversary of Hodges Meteorite
- Alabama Museum of Natural History: Hodges Meteorite
- The Birmingham News: A star really did fall on Alabama
- The Decatur Daily (on-line edition): A star fell on Sylacauga November 30, 2006.
