[meteorite-list] Tomorrow in History + AMNH NYC

[Notkin]

Dear Listees:

Greetings comrades from Tucson. It's been a pretty mild summer so far  
by our standards. I think 106F is the record to date  : )  That's  
nothing for Tucson.

I happened to be looking at one of those "Today in History" things  
this evening and found it interesting to note that tomorrow, July 19,  
is both the 96th anniversary of the great Holbrook fall (1912) and  
also the day that Apollo 11, carrying the mighty Eagle module went  
into lunar orbit -- that was 1969 for you youngsters who weren't glued  
to their TV sets back then. Of course, I was just wee lad myself at  
the time  : )

So many List members have hunted at Holbrook -- I can think of at  
least twenty without even trying -- that it's a happy anniversary to  
mark. I often remember how our much-missed colleague the late, great  
Jim Kriegh would go up there on his own for a few days and come back  
with more pieces from one visit than I found in five trips. Kinda sad  
to think that Jim's house, just up the road from me, is now occupied  
by a non-meteorite hunter.

I was in NYC recently -- my first visit in over four years -- and took  
some time to visit the AMNH and check out the "new" meteorite exhibit.  
For the most part it is really spectacular. I can imagine one of the  
designers saying: "You know that show 'Star Trek: Next Generation'?  
Well, we should make the display look like the bridge from that ship."  
The hall is very dark, with big ole' 31-ton Ahnighito sitting there in  
the middle on a raised circular stage, with one stellar iron after  
another arranged around it. On view is a truly gorgeous Glorieta  
Mountain siderite, covered in thumbprints and caramel patina, which I  
know will make a few GM hunters (myself included) almost insanely  
jealous  : )   There is a cool diorama of Canyon Diablo, and all kinds  
of amazing, assorted goodies in vertical cases on the walls. I found  
the glass cases a little small and crowded, but the meteorites are so  
fabulous, who really cares?

Many of you will, no doubt, have seen the "new" hall, which is, I  
suppose, already a few years old, but even after many years living in  
NYC it was a first for me. A fine afternoon spent there, and also  
visiting my favorite Allosaurus in the dinosaur halls. Highly  
recommended to anyone passing through the Big, Bad Apple.

Enjoy your weekend, and kind regards to all from The Baked Apple.


Respectfully,

Geoff N.

www.aerolite.org
www.campometeorites.com