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Re: When it's a rock! (was,"RE: When Does a Meteorite become a Meteorite?")

In a message dated 99-09-10 19:29:45 EDT, you write:

Bob<< It has been suggested to call the "dark-flight object" a meteorite.  It 
has
 been counter-suggested to ignore the "transient light phenomenon" and call
 the moving, physical object a "meteoroid" until it stops moving or hits the
 ground.  Will the next suggestion demand the removal of the superfluous term
 "meteoroid" and to start calling EVERY rock fragment from an asteroid a
 "meteorite"??<<

It is not a suggestion to call a meteor or a meteoroid what they are...they 
are already defined by definitions. To call them something else once their 
definitions are known is somebody's error. Although I didn't realize it at 
first, but the dark flight object has already been commonly referred to as a 
meteorite in the scientific community. Particularly in regards to micro 
meteorites. It's only not commonly realized that for it's larger ken, they 
should be known as meteorites as well during this stage. 

bob>> (When we bring back retrieved samples from asteroids and
 comets next century, what will we call THOSE rocks??) <<

Why not call them, "Retrieved samples from asteroids and comets"?

bob>> Until a NEW term is
 agreed upon, this will remain unresolved.<<

No need for any new terms at this point. The old one's are good enough. 
People just need to learn the difference properly and call them as such. I 
for one in any future reference to the "object" that is present during the 
dark flight stage will be calling them a "meteorite". The term makes sense. 
It also forces you to use the other associated terms such as meteors and 
meteoroids properly in accordance to their definitions. It's not that the 
terms were wrong, it's that people in general basically understood them 
wrong. 
geozay

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