[meteorite-list] Norwegian meteorite education at the highest level.....

Wed May 2 08:57:37 EDT 2012

Dear List,
The Norwegian Astronomical Socierty (NAS) has a mailing list running for
about 15 years. All kinds of questions, answers and discussions about
topics in astronomy and related fields pops up.
I'm sorry to say that knowledge about meteorites is not great, but then you
might say that is geology. I read the list part time, and try to give some 
good info
when I have the time.

But sometimes I don't check for a long time.
So the question below with an answer?? got through without me seeing it
before today.
Generally the list is a good source for info about astronomy,
but the answer in this particular case is a far cry from a good answer...!
I hope the poor first time poster -AleJunk!- wasn't totally put
of the meteorite field! Shocking also was that no one else on the
list tried to give him a decent answer.

By the way, the person that answered here is known for these kind of raving 
answers,
still not the best way to treat a serious question from a beginner...
The question and answer you find below in the original norwegian version and
translated by me and Google. I can certify the translation is really as 
good as can be...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[From NAS-list discussion]

Sent: 08/04/2012 1:11 p.m.
From: alejunk at aim.com
To: nas-mailingliste at astro.uio.no
Subject: meteorite

Hello!

This is the first time I write on this list even though I have benn a member
here for many years.
This have been a very good source of information but I think it has lost 
value a
little when Odegaard disappeared.
Okay, enough of that .. I currently have dug up the garden, and then of course
I have been looking for black stones.
I have found one stone, it is old and was well buried but it is absolutely
black, very light and porous (not pumice)
I can crush it to sand with my bare hands. It glitters a bit but because of
the weight, I doubt it contains iron.
I have tried to find out how to distinguish meteorite rocks from
"normal type" stones, but have unfortunately not found any good info on this.
So what I wonder is how can I find out which stone I have found?

MVH
Ale Junk

---------------------------

Sent: 08/04/2012 4:32 p.m.
From: Sverre Kolberg
To: nas-mailingliste at astro.uio.no
Topic: Regarding: meteorite

oioi

We have our ways. I once aquired the geology pin as a Boy Scout, and I have 
since then become a chemist, and has
two terms of soil science at Ås[university level]. But concerning 
meteorites a whole new world opened up when I saw the
meteorite collection of Morten Bilet and I had to take what I know about 
high-temperature ceramics and fire-resisting
brick-laying and foundry subjects to dechiper them.

An important rule is that it is automatically seized by the Director of 
Antiquities until otherwise evidenced, in case of
real troll poop. And if it is land mines then a special procedure applies. 
The discovery of meteors in the 'Røykenviken' is
automatically seized by the Director of Antiquities as it may be riding 
spurs of Halfdan the Black [father of 1st ruler of
Norway] one have found.

It is important not to damage or crush the samples to be wise about them 
but rather to consider it and maybe ask someone and
if something have to be analyzed, so with the least amount of  material and 
preliminary examinations should be done first
with representative material so you know that mastering the way and is 
reasonably able to find useful answers. Ask first and
dig afterwards.
I've been sitting in 20 years with the total unexplainable and British 
Museum in 120 years before humankind at all was
qualified to say what it was. It turned out quite right to be real Troll 
poop as I thought it was.

The Box with the strange in the Department of impossible and incredible 
Findings will be there at the British Museum
So I can recommend the Geological Museum at Tøyen[Oslo]. They  could 
confirm the Real troll poop.

S.K.

(My explainations in [ ])

--------------------------------

Sent: 08/04/2012 4:57 p.m.
From: alejunk at aim.com
To: nas-mailingliste at astro.uio.no
Subject: Re: meteorite

Thanks for the reply but the distance is great. I can possibly enquire at 
'Kometland' [local amateur
observatory] rather.

-----------------------------(Original norwegian 
versions)-----------------------

Sendt: 08.04.2012 13:11
Fra: alejunk at aim.com
Til: nas-mailingliste at astro.uio.no
Emne: meteoritt

Hei!

Dette er første gang jeg skriver på denne listen selv om jeg har vert medlem
her i mange år.
Dette har vert en meget fin informasjons kilde men synes det har tapt seg
litt etter Ødegård forsvant.
Nokk om det.. Jeg har for tiden gravd opp hele hagen, og har da selvfølgelig
sett etter sorte steiner.
Jeg har funnet 1 sten, denne er gammel og var godt nedgravd men den er helt
sort, veldig lett og porøs (ikke pimp stein)
jeg kan knuse den til sand med bare hendene. den glinser litt men pga
tyngden tviler jeg der er jærninnhold.
Jeg har forsøkt å fine ut hvordan man kan skille meteoritt stein ifra
"normal flora" stain, men har dessverre ikke funnet noen god info om dett.
Så det jeg lurer på er hvordan kan jeg finne ut hvilken stein er det jeg har
funnet?

MVH
Ale Junk

---------------------------

Sendt: 08.04.2012 16:32
Fra: Sverre Kolberg
Til: nas-mailingliste at astro.uio.no
Emne: Vedr: meteoritt

oioi

Vi har våre måter. Jeg tok en gang geologimerket i speideren, og så er jeg 
siden dea blitt kjemiker, Og har to semester

jordbunnslære på Ås. Men hva gjelder meteoritter åpnet det seg en helt ny 
verden da jeg så meteorittsamlingen til Morten

Bilet og jeg måtte ta til hva jeg vet om høytemperatur keramikk og ildfast 
muring og støperifag for å tyde dem.

Viktig regel er at det er automatisk beslaglagt av Riksantikvaren inntil 
annet er bevisført, ifall det dreier seg om ekte

trollbæsj. Og hvis det er landminer så gjelder egen prosedyre. Ved funn av 
meteorer i Røykenviken er det automatisk

beslaglagt av Riksantikvaren fordi det kan være ridesporene til Halvdan 
Svarte man har funnet.

Det er viktig å ikke skade eller knuse prøvene for å bli klok på dem men 
heller tenke seg om og kanskje spørre noen og hvis

noe må analyseres, så ved minst mulig materiale og forprøvene skal være 
gjort først med representativt materiale så man vet

at behersker måten og er rimelig istand til å finne brukbart svar.   Spør 
først og grav etterpå.

Jeg har sittet i 20 år med det totalt uforklarlige og British Museum i hele 
120 år før menneskegeten i det hele tatt var

kvalifisert til å si hva det var.  Det viste seg ganske riktig å være ekte 
trollbæsj slik jeg også trodde.

Skrinet med det rare i Avdelingen for impossible and incredible findings 
skal være der på British Museum

Så kan jeg anbefale Geologisk Museum på Tøyen. De kunne bekrefte Ekte 
trollbæsj.

S.K.

--------------------------------

Sendt: 08.04.2012 16:57
Fra: alejunk at aim.com
Til: nas-mailingliste at astro.uio.no
Emne: Re: meteoritt

Takker for svar men avstanden er stor. kan muligens høre på kometland heller...

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