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Re: Catch a Falling Star ... (Part 2 of 2)

... and put it in your pocket, never let it fade away :-)


Jim Hurley schrieb:

> I have just finished reading Nininger's Catch a Falling Star.

An asteroid was even named in his honor in 1982:

MARVIN U.B. (1993) The Meteoritical Society 1933-1993 (Meteoritics 28-3,
1993, p. 300):

Asteroid Nininger, 1982

In recognition of Nininger's 95th birthday on January 17, 1982, the
International Astronomical Union named an asteroid for him in
recognition of his "... recovery of some 200 meteorite falls and finds,
and his resulting 3000 samples, which were more than those of any other
individual prior to the exploration of the Antarctic blue-ice fields."
In a letter to this writer, dated May 15, 1982, Nininger enclosed a copy
of the announcement in the Minor Planet Circular of December 11, 1981,
and added:

"Thought you’d like to know that astronomers have not forgotten the old
meteorite hunter. Asteroid 2421 (Nininger) is of moderate size, 25 mi.
diameter, equal to 10 or 15 Pikes Peaks rolled into one. It is
considered a possible source of meteorites."

Nininger also enclosed a poem he had written for the occasion:

Asteroid (2421) Nininger

What's this they say,
A shining speck that I can't see
In yonder sky was named for me?
An asteroid past mountain size?
Two hundred million miles away?
I guess it's true, that's what they say.
But why should such be named for me?
On second thought I think I see
Meteorites must be the key;
For these queer rocks from out the void
Are thought to come from asteroid;
Bits fly free when two collide.
A thousand fragments dart through space
All flying free as in a race
Then some collide and fragments fly
Just every which way; some near by.
And I have prized them, brought them home,
Investigated: where they're from,
How big, how many, how much dust?
How many craters in Earth's crust:
Did some make mountains when they fell?
Or split great canyons; who can tell?
The answer's written on the moon.
Our turn's coming, don't know how soon.
With all this thinking guess I see
Why flying mount was named for me.

H. H. Nininger
May, 1982.

Numerous Society members now have asteroids named for them and many more
can expect to have them in the future, as each asteroid with an
established orbit is given a name as well as a number. One wonders how
many meteoriticists will write verses to acknowledge the honor.


Best regards,

Bernd

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