[meteorite-list] Cali chondrite fell extremely cold!

[Charlie Devine]

Hello Robert and list,

Robert wrote:

     >"If you touch something that is
     >extremely cold (such as dry ice), you
     >feel a burning sensation.  Too much cold
     >becomes too hot."
 
Robert further wrote:

     >I wonder if people who claim that
     >meteorites were hot to the touch,
     >were simply mistaking the cold
     >temperature as being hot.

I've long suspected that was the case, Robert.
Richard Pearl, in his 1975 book "Fallen from Heaven: Meteorites and
Man", reports the following regarding the fall of the Forest City, Iowa
meteorite on 5/2/1890:  
     
     "This brilliant fireball, 'sputtering though its 
       course like fireworks' traveled eastward, 
       leaving a smoke trail and a noise like
       'heavy cannonading' and a 'rushing sound'
       or 'unearthly hissing'.  As at Estherville,
       a contested ballgame was in progress at
       the time.  Although it was reported to be
       hot, a boy who picked up a piece from
       an unsinged stack of straw complained
       that it was 'so cold that it burned his hand'".

Best wishes,
Charlie