[meteorite-list] pondering the displayed position versus angle of descent

[Michael Murray]

Hi all,
When studying the photos of the 10-ton Morito iron, as it is  
displayed in Palacio de Mineria, I'm wondering if it is displayed in  
the position in which it fell to the ground, or would one be inclined  
to think it would have came down on a fair angle (between 30 and 60  
degrees to vertical?  I like how it is displayed, don't get me  
wrong.  I think it's very impressive to see a nose cone shaped  
meteorite displayed with nose down.  (Please, that is not a dig at  
anyone out there displaying them sitting on their top).  For me, when  
I can see one nose down, it makes it easier to visualize it coming in  
on it's final leg of the journey.  I can almost see the fire and  
flames coming off the trailing edge.  : )

The thing is, I'm just pondering the angle of the larger stones as  
they are being displayed.  When I look at pictures of Ahnighito for  
example (I haven't seen it in person), I'm inclined, because of some  
of the features I think I see in the pictures, to believe it could be  
resting on one of its vertical sides.  And then again, if it was  
coming in at a pretty good angle of descent, how it is displayed may  
be closer to the position it was actually in when it touched down.   
What a thump that stone must have made when it hit.

Now to see if I can find out what ever happened to the four pieces of  
Long Island 1,100 lb Stony.  I think it would be interesting to try  
to figure out how it was falling given the four pieces put together.   
Anyone seen Long Island?  Anyone?  Anyone?

Mike