[meteorite-list] Was: GoogleEarth & GPS in Meteorite Hunting Now:Ethics and Meteorite Find Locations

Sun Sep 12 16:42:44 EDT 2010

Hi Rob and List,

Something to understand about meteorite finds and strewnfields in 
general. There are many meteorite mongers that would happily go out and 
"steal" or claim jump on someone elses discovery for a profit without 
properly recording the data, because they don't care about the science. 
Putting things in perspective. YES!!!! I totally agree that it might be 
a little gray area here. However, the protection of the data from a 
meteorite find or strewnfield, is MORE important than the coordinate 
listed in the Met-Bull. The Met-Bull coordinate is a beginning reference 
point for researchers, and gives accurate information for a "starting 
point" in research.

Before people arbitrarily point the finger at someone for providing 
misinformation or data that's not an X marks the spot on a treasure map, 
perhaps there needs to be some research done on Nininger's meteorite 
finds. It's well known that some of his "coordinates" weren't "exact". 
This was also to protect the meteorite finds and strewnfield from claim 
jumpers, profiteers and rival scientists. Besides, it's also well known 
that in the past, coordinates of meteorites finds were sometimes marked 
by the nearest post office, which in some cases could be miles from the 
actual find/discovery location.

Meteor Crater: "...Meteor Crater is a meteorite impact crater located 
approximately 43 miles (69 km) east of Flagstaff, near Winslow in the 
northern Arizona desert of the United States. Because the US Department 
of the Interior Division of Names commonly recognizes names of natural 
features derived from the nearest post office, the feature acquired the 
name of "Meteor Crater" from the nearby post office named Meteor.[2] The 
site was formerly known as the Canyon Diablo Crater, and the meteorite 
that created the crater is officially called the Canyon Diablo 
Meteorite, the name that is on all officially labelled fragments of the 
meteorite..." SOURCE - Wikipedia - 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteor_Crater

Moon Trip: A Personal Account of the Apollo Program and its Science 
©1989 Dr. Elbert A. King Reprinted with permission from the estate of 
Dr. Elbert A. King - Chapter IV - Meteorites & Tektites: "...The stones 
had showered over a large area. One large stone had missed the post 
office in Pueblito de Allende by only 30 feet. Meteorites normally are 
named after the nearest post office. This one almost named itself..." 
SOURCE - 
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/books/moonTrip/ivTektitesandMeteorites.pdf 
and http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/books/moonTrip/

How are meteorites named? Meteorites are typically named for the town, 
post office or other geographical landmark nearest the recovery sight. 
SOURCE: http://www.meteoritelab.com/meteorites/

Met List: "...A name has not yet been assigned but the latest word is 
that it likely will be called Fort Irwin after the nearest post office 
box..." SOURCE: http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-highlights.php

Google Book Results: Antarctic Meteorite Names: "...Page 73 ... they are 
named after the nearest post office, because a place that has a post 
office ... In the arcane naming system used for the antarctic meteorites..."

More recently the "arcane" naming system is being replaced by naming 
meteorites after the place of find. Data is becoming more accurate. The 
Meteoritical Society is heading this.

GUIDELINES FOR METEORITE NOMENCLATURE (REVISED JULY, 2010; Notice the 30 
years of evolution of naming conventions)
http://www.meteoriticalsociety.org/bulletin/nc-guidelines.htm

It's the fault of the researcher for not "researching" things to get the 
whole story. It's very easy to take part of a subject out of context and 
form an incomplete and inaccurate conclusion. This is arguably more 
dangerous than an inaccurate meteorite coordinate any day of the week.

Eric

On 9/12/2010 12:53 PM, Rob Holcomb wrote:
> Hi All,
> I know some people who totally agree with the statement, "There are 
> folks out there who consider the location of their finds their 
> personal strewn fields and intentionally desseminate inaccurate 
> coordinates to throw off competitors and collectors. I suppose they 
> can make a good argument for doing it."
>
> So I guess the locations should be suspect.
> Rob H
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "drtanuki" <drtanuki at yahoo.com>
> Sent: Sunday, September 12, 2010 12:25 PM
> To: <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>; "Countdeiro" 
> <countdeiro at earthlink.net>
> Subject: [meteorite-list] Was: GoogleEarth & GPS in Meteorite Hunting 
> Now:Ethics and Meteorite Find Locations
>
>> Count and List,
>>  This would involve ethics or the lack of them on the part of the 
>> finder IF true?  Would a person or persons willing to lie on a find 
>> location lie about other things?  Good work Count!  Others?
>>
>> Best Regards, Dirk Ross...Tokyo
>>
>> --- On Mon, 9/13/10, countdeiro at earthlink.net 
>> <countdeiro at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>
>> From: countdeiro at earthlink.net <countdeiro at earthlink.net>
>> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] GoogleEarth & GPS in Meteorite Hunting
>> To: "David Norton" <renov8hotels at earthlink.net>, "'Michael Blood'" 
>> <mlblood at cox.net>
>> Cc: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>> Date: Monday, September 13, 2010, 3:14 AM
>>
>> David said, "Any coordinates in the MetBul prior to the advent of the 
>> GPS system must be considered suspect."
>>
>> I'm afraid that the accuracy of locations since the introduction of 
>> the GPS system are still suspect. In just a few months of field 
>> research on recent finds in the Western USA, I came across GPS 
>> coordinates that were obviously off by miles. For instance, there's a 
>> rare CM1 find whose Googled MetBul location puts it a vacant lot in a 
>> residential sub-division.
>>
>> There are folks out there who consider the location of their finds 
>> their personal strewn fields and intentionally desseminate inaccurate 
>> coordinates to throw off competitors and collectors. I suppose they 
>> can make a good argument for doing it.
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Count Deiro
>> IMCA 3536
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: David Norton <renov8hotels at earthlink.net>
>>> Sent: Sep 12, 2010 9:25 AM
>>> To: 'Michael Blood' <mlblood at cox.net>
>>> Cc: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>>> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] GoogleEarth & GPS in Meteorite Hunting
>>>
>>> On a conceptual this sounds great. One flaw in deployment is the 
>>> accuracy of
>>> the gps coordinates that you may have for any given find. There are
>>> coordinates in MetBul that are accurate within 20 miles or 
>>> so....thats' a
>>> lot of dirt. Any coordinates in MetBul prior to the advent of the 
>>> GPS system
>>> must be considered suspect.
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com
>>> [mailto:meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com] On Behalf Of 
>>> Michael
>>> Blood
>>> Sent: Saturday, September 11, 2010 5:07 PM
>>> To: Meteorite List
>>> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] GoogleEarth & GPS in Meteorite Hunting
>>>
>>> Hi all,
>>>        I have come to realize there is a crucial tool for meteorite
>>> Hunting that I have yet to hear of anyone using: iPad using
>>> "Google  Earth" with the GPS coordinates.
>>>        To use this tool in the field, you must have one of the
>>> Models with G3 capability. That said, you can not only locate
>>> Coordinates easily, you can SEE the area you are searching
>>> With great clarity - and also check any "Utube" videos of other
>>> Hunts in the given area, and any other information you may
>>> Want from the internet WHILE you are in the field, the price
>>> Sounds compelling, since I hear the better GPS units start at
>>> about $200 and the cheaper ones are at least $100.
>>>        I have located the cheapest method of purchasing a unit. It goes
>>> from $629- with FREE  shipping to $829 depending on Gigabytes you
>>> Desire,  so and have decided to provide a link from my site.
>>>        However, the best anyone can explain me is the more gigabytes
>>> you have the more movies and videos you can STORE on the device,
>>> so, personally, I see little to be gained by spending the additional $
>>> for more gigs unless you, personally make a LOT of videos and want
>>> all of them on your iPad. Otherwise, any other source can be accessed
>>> by the device, so, why store it IN the device? Perhaps I am wrong
>>> here, if so, would someone on the list please clarify additional 
>>> advantages
>>> To purchasing massive Gigs on this unit.
>>>        Regardless,
>>>
>>> 1) Go to:
>>>
>>> http://michaelbloodmeteorites.com/
>>
>>
>>>
>>> 2) Click on the RED banner ad: "Sales and Freebies" left of
>>> The Banner Ad for IMPACTICA.
>>>
>>> 3) On the new page, near the top, click on "iPad"
>>>
>>> 4) On the newer page, again click on "iPad"
>>>
>>> 5) On this page, scroll down to "iPad Starting at $499" go to
>>> The right of it and UNDER "On Line Store" click on "Buy Now"
>>> (this will NOT be committing you to any purchase)
>>>
>>> 6) you will now be on a page offering the lowest prices for
>>> An iPad possible:
>>>
>>> 16GB1
>>> *  Ships:  Within 24hrs
>>> * Free Shipping
>>> * $629.00
>>> * Pre-Order iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G 16GB
>>>
>>> 32GB1
>>> *  Ships:  Within 24hrs
>>> * Free Shipping
>>> * $729.00
>>> * Pre-Order iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G 32GB
>>>
>>> 64GB1
>>> *  Ships:  Within 24hrs
>>> * Free Shipping
>>> * $829.00
>>>
>>>        Best wishes, Michael
>>>
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