[meteorite-list] Meteorites smell good ...mmm

[Walter Branch]

Hi Bob and List,

Neat!  Sounds like you had a nice time and the kids really learned 
something.  Can't be that combination anytime!

I need some help from list members.  I am hosting a star party next month 
for my daughter's first grade class.  Her teacher is going to require the 
students to keep a "moon journal" for a few days to record naked-eye lunar 
observations and associated meteorological and atmospheric conditions (on 
their level, of course).  I plan to bring some scopes to the school for a 
couple of nights to let the kids actually observe the moon.  I am also going 
to supply plenty of hot chocolate and some of the freeze-dried "astronaut" 
food (ice cream) that you can purchase a various space/aviation visitors 
centers and museums.  As my friend Gail from Alberta says, "it should be a 
hoot, eh"?

Anyway, I would like to also give each child a meteorite.  I have given away 
many kg of meteorites over the past several years but alas, I have none to 
give away at present.

To anyone who can help me, I need 20 or so fragments of NWA 869, totaling 
maybe 1-2 kg.  I have plenty of 4 x 3 inch baggies to place them in, along 
with an ID card.  Can anyone supply me with 20 fragments.  I will pay with a 
check so I suppose I am looking to obtain these from only US dealers as the 
fees for non-US banks to cash a US check are expensive.

I chose NWA 869 because is it relatively plentiful and I can explain the 
naming/numbering  procedure to the kids and their parents.  They can also 
practice doing a little research on the internet, when they are a little 
older.

I will not accept donations as you should be paid for your goods but I can 
certainly include the supplying dealers ID card with the meteorite.  Who 
knows, maybe a parent will want to follow up with the source dealer.

Anyway, can anyone help me out?

-Walter Branch
________________________
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob King" <lakewind at infionline.net>
To: <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Friday, January 20, 2006 12:34 AM
Subject: [meteorite-list] Meteorites smell good ...mmm


> Hello all,
> A lot of us like to bring meteorites to classes we occasionally visit with
> or teach. I had this opportunity earlier this week and just for fun 
> brought
> a sheet of 220 grit sandpaper and a slice of NWA 869 for the kids to do
> a scratch and sniff. I asked them to grind away a little bit on the
> sandpaper and then take a whiff of meteorite. Most of them compared
> the odor to sulfur or matches. One 6th grader was pretty excited: "It
> smells like matches. I like the smell of matches." I explained that
> sometimes freshly fallen meteorites have a sulfurous smell.
> Though I wasn't positively certain, I'm assuming the odor is from the
> sulfur in troilite?
> Anyway, it was fun to do some "hands on" with the asteroid bits.
> Happy sniffing!
> Bob
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