Well I've gone and done it...... booked a room for a couple of nights at the Marsden Hotel. I will be joining a bonafide official search for pieces of the Saskatchewan Meteor that fell just South of Lloydminster last November 20, how cool is that?
The search is being conducted by the University Of Calgary and are calling for volunteers, so if you happen to be in the area between now and the end of May...... and I really don't know why you would be, they have a place for you, a once in a lifetime chance to look for a meteorite.
The search will be done CSI style, where you have up to 10 people in teams all in a line walking slowly across the field looking for the meteorite, they figure there are still thousands of pieces yet to be discovered, and I will be there taking pics for a future post.
The image above is my Saskatchewan Meteorite on it's new stand, it goes round and round and shines a light on it as well, I like to watch it go round, till I get bored.
From meteorite search to meteor search, woo frigging hoo, after I finish my searching for the meteorite on Tuesday April 21, I will be heading back to Saskatoon to get ready for the peak of the Lyrid Meteor Shower. Look NE around 11:00 pm April 21 in the direction the constellation Lyra, if you don't know what the Lyra constellation looks like, don't worry, just look north east. Not the biggest meteor shower, around 10-20 an hour, but it is warmer then the usual meteor showers, being in April and this time you won't have the pesky bright Moon to interfere, doesn't rise here till 4:30 am CST, just after the meteor shower peaks, around 2:00 am CST on the 22nd.
But again, that's not all folks. After the meteor shower , or at around 6:39 am CST we have a Lunar occultation of Venus, that is, the Moon will cover Venus. If you live almost anywhere in North America, you will see the occultation, trouble being it will occur in the daytime, except on the West Coast, where the occultation occurs at twilight, so you will need at least a pair binoculars to view it properly, I will try to get some images of the Moon covering and then uncovering the Planet Venus for you if you miss it.
Well there you have it, lots of celestial stuff going on, A meteorite search, a meteor search and a Lunar occultation of Venus, almost too much excitement for one person to handle.
I'll leave you now with an animation of one of my creamsicle Full Moons.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The Great Prairie Meteorite Search
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33 comments:
Bob:
Wow, it certainly sounds like you have a fun adventure lined up for yourself. Plus, you'll meet all kinds of different people who all like the same things. It's always fun to meet folks who share our interests.
Now, about the meteorite itself, does every little piece have to be turned over to the university, or are you allowed to keep one or two?
Good luck.
Wow! What an awesome opportunity. Maybe a meteorite can crash here sometime and give us the cool adventures. Good luck to you!
I was just wondering where you were, and I was pretty sure you weren't in China yet. So here you are. Good.
Congrats on participating in the CSI meteor search. I can see it now: CSI-Saskatoon. My daughter will add it to her Netflix queue after Miami and the rest.
And do you get bored, Bob? Or are you just saying that?
Hi Bob, I am totally totally impressed by your passion. May your search for a piece of space rock be successful!
-Priyank
Oh my goodness, you always have something interesting going on. I wish I was in the area, the CSI search for meteorite is really appealing to me :o) Is there a finder's fee? Can you keep a piece if you find it?
I guess I will have to settle for your report. Good luck searching!
Sounds like your dance card is full. What fun for you! (Yes, I know that the searching will be tedious, but wouldn't it be great to find a few chunks?). And the meteor shower.
You're so on top of all this. I'm a positive slacker by comparison!
For sure swubird, should be a great week.
Every piece is turned over to the landowner, you can make suggestions they donate some to the University, and some will, regardless, all of the landowners who get the stones may keep a couple but most I'm assuming would like to turn them into cash, I might be able to buy one I find, who knows.\m/\m/
Hi Stephen, it is a great ,probably once in a lifetime opportunity to do a meteorite search. Maybe on day you'll have your very own meteorite crash in your area, just never know.\m/\m/
Lol Ruth about the CSI Saskatoon, hey I do get bored but it takes a long time or a Godzilla movie from the 50's, I have all of them, great sleeping pills,lol.\m/\m/
Thanks Priyank, the initial reports coming in are great, a lot of new finds, should be good.\m/\m/
Hi Ivanhoe, well no finders fee,and no keeps. I am doing it for the thrill of the hunt, plus asking for donations for research for the University, doing my part.\m/\m/
wow how fabulous will that be, what an opportunity. I hope you have fun. well not hope I know you'll have fun. Good luck my friend..
Thanks Stephanie, I was reading on the University's website, the preliminary report states they found 100 stones over the Easter weekend a good indication of what is to come, should be good.\m/m/
Thanks Carole, it will be too cool for school,lol.\m/\m/
You'll be searching for a meteorite pieces? Cool! I wish you guys all the best.. Must be hard to find huh?
Anyway, I really like the milky way animation at the side.. Very pretty! :)
So by CSI style you don't mean there will be rock music and cool camera angles? LOL
Sounds like a super cool trip! Can't wait to hear allllll about it! I'm living vicariously thru you here.
must be fun!
Fantastic opportunity and I hope you enjoy your adventure. I am sure that you will keep us updated and post images. Good luck!
Thanks Cashmere, so far they have been pretty easy to find, usually find 1 to 2 a day, we shall see.\m/\m/
Lol Drowsey, that is way too funny, if way too funny is even possible, I'll see what I can do about the cool camera angles when I take the pics,lol.\m/\m/
Hi kRiZ cPEc, oh......it'll be fun.\m/\m/
Hi Mike, no problem with the updating, even if I don't find any meteorites, I'm sure someone there will.\m/\m/
Hey Bob you are too cool - do you think I may find some residues in my area too, lol. Do you get to keep it when you find it, or you have to give it back to University. Becareful you don't find something else, lol, CSI style may lead to many other findings. Thanks for all the good stuff and info, and as always love your animation. Anna :)
Lol Anna, I don't think you have much chance of finding the Saskatchewan meteorite in your area.
Unfortunately no chance of me getting to keep what I find, I will be turning what stones I do find over to the landowner, in it for the thrill of the hunt.\m/\m/
That is so cool. I was examining a meteorite with my Geology professor last week. It was a rare Breccia I believe.
That sounds really cool. Have fun!
Bob,
Totally digging the creamsicle Moonscape - very cool. Sorry I havent been around for a while - been kinda busy. But great to be back reading your material!
Jesse
That is so cool Dr. Lauren, I wonder what type it was, most of the Lunar meteorites found are some type of Regolith Breccias.\m/\m/
Thanks Jesse, glad to have you back again, it's always good to be busy.\m/\m/
Thanks Oswegan, I'm sure I will.\m/\m/
That a'boy Bob!
"Oh, the meteorite on the stand goes round and round, round and round, round and round...."
I think it would be easier just to run a sod harvester through the fields and sift it all out, then run a big magnet over it. Q.E.D. ;-)
Thanks for sharing this link, but unfortunately it seems to be offline... Does anybody have a mirror or another source? Please answer to my post if you do!
I would appreciate if someone here at blackholesandastrostuff.blogspot.com could post it.
Thanks,
Harry
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