Mete-Ore Score

I am dedicating this entry to my friend Captain Awesome.  Just for you buddy!

It was a dark and stormy night.  Which turned into a dark and stormy weekend.  Finally on Sunday at noon, the clouds parted and the sky opened up revealing a giant ball of fire in the sky. 

Time to get outside and find a new kind of treasure!  Kelly and I were discussing meteorites.  What is the difference between a meteorite and an asteroid?  I had to look it up.

Here is what I found:



What is the difference between an asteroid, comet, meteoroid, meteor and meteorite?

Asteroid:	A relatively small, inactive body, composed of rock, carbon or metal, which is orbiting the Sun.
Comet:	A relatively small, sometimes active object, which is composed of dirt and ices. Comets are characterised by dust and gas tails when in proximity to the Sun. Far from the Sun it is difficult to distinguish an asteroid from a comet.
Meteoroid:	A small particle from an asteroid or comet orbiting he Sun.
Meteor:	A meteoroid that is observed as it burns up in the Earth's atmosphere - a shooting star.
Meteorite:	A meteoroid that survives its passage through the Earth's atmosphere and impacts the Earth's surface.

Reference:
http://www.nearearthobjects.co.uk/

Little lesson for you today.

After our discussion I researched how to look for meteorites online.  There are a few very good references that show you how to identify meteorites.  After a few hours of research I was ready to find my own meteorite!  There are several great websites to lead the way and there are a few lame ones. 

Finally after waiting all weekend for some decent treasure hunting weather, we were able to get out there and find ourselves a meteorite!  As usual, I gathered all my usual treasure hunting gear.  Ace 250, digging tools, the pin pointer, gardening gloves to protect my awesome manicure and a new tool.  One major thing I learned was that Meteorites are magnetic.  Therefore, an earth magnet will stick to them.  I took an old broom handle and I taped a large magnet to the bottom like a walking stick.

We decided that since Kelly already roto-tilled a large area in the front yard that we would begin looking there for our meteorite. 

20 Minutes later.  Nothing, nada, zilch, zip.  Not even a false reading anywhere.  I will not give up!  I will continue the search.  It's gross humid today and my John Deere hat is soaked.  I swoop and sweep the Ace 250 around until my arms get tired.  Still nothing.  Start on the second row.  There it is!  The familiar beep!  Beep!  Beep!  Hooray, here's our Meteorite!  I think we should name it after me!  We'll call it........DeeDeeStone! 

TA DA!  Depth of 5 inches.  Kelly!  Start digging!  Keep digging!  I'll get the pin pointer!  Nothing.  Kelly!  Get sweeping again!  Get the Ace 250 and sweep this area!  It's so close!  Fame, fortune it call all be mine!  Beep, beep, beep!  I pinpoint again....nothing!  What the hell is the Ace reading? 

Then just as I'm ready to fill in the hole and move on, Kelly looks at me and says,

"Is the pin pointer turned on?"

Ha ha.  Uh.......rookie mistake.  Anyone could make it.

After a minor adjustment (pushing the ON button), the pin pointer vibrates into action!  After all that drama what do we find?  A damn piece of wire.  Bah!  The pin pointer is acting kind of funny.  It's making a weird buzz sound.  Geez.  What next.  We move on.  Not deterred by my earlier actions I get the Ace 250 going again.  Five feet away: Beep, Beep, Beep!  Kelly!  Dig the hole!  4 Inches this time!  I get the pin pointer out, it makes one faint beeeeeep then dies.  Not before I find it....you guess it.  A rusty nail.

Batteries are dead in the pin pointer.  No problem.  We have 10,000 batteries in the house.  We buy them at Costco!  AAA, AA, C, D, you name it!  We've got sleeves of them!  All except 9V.  So what battery does the pin pointer use?  A damn 9V!  Why am I being penalized today?!

I'm done for today.  I'm hot, sweaty, disgusted and frustrated.  I'm going into the house and watch a movie.

TTFN Friends!
DeAnne the Treasure Hunter



MASSIVE UPDATE!!!!!!!

Kelly and I were walking the dogs.  I started to pick up the odd black rocks that I was hoping would be a meteorite.  I found six funny looking rocks. Picked them up.  One was kind of heavy for it's size.  Odd.  I didn't want to get my hopes up. 

I came back into the house and Kelly went to lock up the shop.  I have some small earth magnets on the fridge.  I grabbed a little red heart and it slipped out of my perfectly manicured fingernails.  It dropped in my other hand where the rocks were.  I heard a little "tick" as the magnet attached itself to one of the rocks!  OH MY GOD!!  It sticks.....it sticks!  IT STICKS!!!  I think we found one!  Hooray!  Here are some pictures of it:

The little red heart is the earth magnet.

I just couldn't believe it!

Now, I have to find someone or somewhere to verify it.

G'Night All!

TTFN

DeAnne the Treasure Hunter