[meteorite-list] NPA 02-07-1977 Hunt for fireball proves fruitless - Innisfree Meteorite

[MARK BOSTICK]

Paper: Lethbridge Herald
City: Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Date: Monday, February 7, 1977
Page: 2


Hunt for fireball proves fruitless

     FORT SASKATCHEWAN (CP) - RCMP launched a search Saturday night to track 
down an illusive meteorite after they received 15 calls about a fireball 
hitting the earth near Chipman, about 20 miles east of here.
     A police spokesman said two constables were sent out to look for the 
meteorite but they found nothing.
     Prof. Robert E. Folinsbee, professor of geology at the University of 
Alberta and member of the associate committee on meteorites of the National 
Research Council, said Sunday he doubted the fireball reached the ground.
     "The fireball was moving too fast through the atmosphere, judging from 
the brightness of the light, and it seems it burned up before hitting the 
earth's crust," Prof. Folinsbee said. "I don't think we'll be finding a 
meteorite ( a fireball or shooting star is called a meteorite if it hits the 
earth) in this case."
     Film from five meteorite observation cameras at Vegreville will be 
developed later this week.
     Each camera, operated by the National Research Council, has five lenses 
facing different directions. They are activated by bight, fast moving 
objects in the earth's atmosphere. A timing device is also activated, 
breaking up the passage of a fireball or shooting star.
     According to Prof. Folinsbee meteorites are not "too uncommon" in 
Alberta.
     The largest was found near Bruderheim, almost 35 miles northeast of 
Edmonton in 1960.  Another large one was located near Peace River in 1964.

(end)

Today's newspaper postings are on the Innisfree Meteorite.  This stone was 
classified as a L5 Stone Chondrite. The meteorite fell February 5, 1977 at 
7:17am local time. 9 pieces in total were recovered totaling 4.58kg.  PDF 
copies are available upon e-mail request on these three, and the other 
Innisfree article that is viewable on my website, and was posted to the list 
over a year ago by me.

(updated) Innisfree newspaper archive page: 
http://www.meteoritearticles.com/znpinnisfree.html


Clear Skies,
Mark Bostick
www.meteoritearticles.com