[meteorite-list] 1848: light produced when "meteorite" sawn - possible or impossible?

[chris aubeck]

Ohio | Sandusky | The Sandusky Clarion | 1848-01-25 


A REMARKABLE AEROLITE. 

On the 14th July last, a remarkable aerolite 
fell at Brannan, at Bohemia. Two fragments were found, 
one weighing fifteen, the other twenty-one kilogrammes. 
The aeorilite [sic] appeared to proceed, as is very often the case,
from a small black cloud. The smaller fragment
fell upon a house, pierced the roof, struck
a beam which caused it lo deviate slightly
from its course, passed through a ceiling composed
of white clay and straw, and entered a room
where several persons were assembled, but
fortunately, noone was hurt. A circumstance
worthy of remark was, that the straw of
the ceiling traversed by the meteor was not in
the least carbonized: it only appeared of a
brighter yellow, with semi-metalic lustre; pieces
of straw even adhering to the stone, presented
no trace of carbonization. A fragment has
been analysed by M. Fischer, of Breslau, who
found in it, besides sulphuretted iron, carbon,
phosphorus and bromine. In sawing the mass, 
globules were inflamed by the friction of the
teeth of the saw, and a bright light produced.

Literary Gazette.