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Irish meteorite could sell for $41,000

By
DONAL THORNTON,
IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Friday, February 5, 2010, 7:22 AM
Updated Friday, February 5, 2010, 7:31 AM

 

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Falling meteor
Falling meteor

The meteorite that landed somewhere over the northern part of Ireland could be worth in excess of $41,000.

The last time a meteorite hit Ireland was in 1989, and a gram of that meteor rock sold for $500.

The meteor was spotted just before 6 p.m. local time on Wednesday night. The police, the Coast Guard and Irish Aviation Authority were inundated with sightings of a giant fireball in the sky.

Witnesses reported seeing a green and white flare traveling at low altitudes across the sky.

The meteor was first spotted in Cork and Kerry; it was then spotted by people in counties Clare, Kilkenny and Cavan. The meteor is thought to have landed somewhere in County Cavan.

 “I saw what looked like a flare or a single firework, it was green and it lasted only about six or seven seconds,” said Irish Aviation Authority communication officer Lillian Cassin.

Astronomy Ireland's David Moore is asking anyone with video footage of the event to send a copy to the astronomers or alternatively share their information on Astronomy Ireland's website.

“From this, experts from the organization can triangulate exactly where the fireball fell and then the hunt for this exquisite piece of outer space can commence,” he said.

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Posted by FastEddy on Feb 05, 2010, 12:26 PM EST
1st: Google map the flight path and possible landing sites. Google the videos too. Get oriented. 2nd: If there is any snow left on the ground, it should be easily spotted. Put on your booties. 3rd: Ask around at the closest pubs before traipsing across anyones cow pastures. 4th: The size has been estimated = less than one pound (1/2 kilo), so look for an unusual rock, smaller than a softball. If you hurry, it may still be warm to the touch. Borrow a pair of thermal sensitive night vision goggles if possible. Happy hunting! (I have found meteorites in several US states, usually just by learning what they look like and tramping around the countryside. They usually just lay there on top of the ground.)
 


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