[meteorite-list] Appeal for Public Outreach specimens

[Richard Kowalski]

Hello all.

Apologies for the length of this post, but I felt I should provide sufficient 
background first to support my appeal.

In the past year I've been involved more actively in public outreach where I 
work, when we have public events or visitors to the observatory or the Lab. At 
one of our open days at the observatory this past year, I brought a 1 kg Campo 
which I purchased some years ago and a windowed 1.5 kg uNWA stone (looks like 
869) individual that was donated by a IMCA member specifically for Public 
Outreach (PO) to a public day at our observatory site. I was surprised at how 
many young visitors were quite pleased & excited to be able to see and handle 
some reasonably sized meteorites. I felt they also helped to re-enforce the 
concept of what we are doing at the observatory when we search for Near Earth 
Asteroids. More surprising tp me was the reaction I was getting from some of the 
older visitors. These adults were absolutely jazzed to be able to handle a 
meteorite.

On subsequent public events, some that I was not part of, I lent these two 
specimens for display and discussion to Dolores Hill, who also works at the Lab 
and is an IMCA member, to augment the display meteorites she has access to. I 
also gave her a supply of weathered uNWAs I had obtained for other purposes with 
explicit instructions to give them out to anyone who shows a genuine interest in 
meteorites. These “Give Aways” are now also available for any visitors to the 
Lab who are learning about meteorites.

I have received a quantity of NWA 869 and some of these meteorites will be used 
for these PO give-aways as well.


This year I am looking to broaden the types of our hand sample specimens and of 
our “give away” inventory and I am making an appeal to the membership for 
assistance and direction.

What I would like to include as a hand sample is a “CV3 like” uNWA that has a 
dark matrix and colorful chondrules. Something that could take a bit of polish 
so the individual is smooth and impressive in the hand. A fist sized or larger 
sample would be perfect for this, but since I am self funding these PO 
meteorites, my budget is rather limited. One that is a few hundred grams is 
probably a better match for my budget.

I'd also like to obtain “peas” of this same material that could be included in 
our “give away set”.

Lastly I'd like to be able to include small irons as well. Tiny Campo crystals 
or SA shrapnel would probably be best. 50 to 100 grams total of each would 
probably be enough to cover our needs for 2011.

As a Tucsonan, I have the opportunity to take my time and find the lowest prices 
each year at the Tucson shows, but as I said I'm self funding these PO 
meteorites. There is no institutional money available for these purchases. As 
such I'm seriously bottom feeding here, so my apologies for such a crass request.

In closing I just want to be clear that though I mention Mrs. Hill here, she is 
not involved in my making this request. I only mention her to help describe why 
I'm making this appeal.

If you have what I am looking for and you'll be in Tucson for the shows in 
February, please contact me privately.

Thank you for your attention and for considering my request.


-- 
Richard Kowalski
Catalina Sky Survey
Lunar and Planetary Laboratory
University of Arizona
http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/css/