Homestead (meteorite)

Homestead

20.4 g partial slice taken from the 450 g fragment that resided in the AMNH for over a century
Type Chondrite
Class Ordinary chondrite
Group L5
Country United States
Region Iowa
Coordinates 41°48′N 91°52′W / 41.800°N 91.867°W / 41.800; -91.867Coordinates: 41°48′N 91°52′W / 41.800°N 91.867°W / 41.800; -91.867[1]
Observed fall Yes
Fall date 1875-02-12
TKW 230 kg
Strewn field Yes
Alternative names Amana, Iowa County
Related media on Wikimedia Commons

Homestead is a L5 meteorite fallen in 1875 in Iowa, United States.

History

On the evening of 12 February 1875 above Iowa a brilliant fireball was observed. About 100 meteorite fragments fell over a 18-square-mile (47 km2) snowy countryside area from Amana to Boltonville in Iowa County. The first found fragment, a stone weighing about 3.5 kilograms (7.7 lb), was discovered by Sarah Sherlock 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south of Homestead.[2] The area was wooded and covered by snow, impeding recovery efforts. On 10 February a 40 centimetres (16 in) snowfall blanketed the ground, preventing the great majority of the fragments from being discovered until Spring. The 74 pounds (34 kg) main mass was found along with a 48 pounds (22 kg) fragment buried 2 feet (0.61 m) in the soil.[2]

As of December 2011, approximately 230 kilograms (510 lb) has been found.

Composition and classification

It is a L5 type ordinary chondrite. It is also brecciated and veined.

Notes

  1. ↑ Meteoritical Bulletin Database: Homestead
  2. 1 2 Paul Garvin, Iowa's minerals: their occurrence, origins, industries, and lore. University of Iowa Press, 1998. 187

Bibliography

See also

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