[meteorite-list] Newspaper Article, 07-06-1859 Aerolites or Meteors

From: MARK BOSTICK <thebigcollector_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:07:01 2004
Message-ID: <OE153sgJArQ0cthxdJP00023e95_at_hotmail.com>

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Banner of Liberty
Middle Town, N.Y.
July 6, 1859
Page: 1
Aerolites, or Meteors
The following account of Meteors, is from the North American Cyclopedia:
AEROLITES, (Gr, aer, air, and lithos, stone) are stones that have fallen =
from the air. The fact is fully conceded, and it is also established that=
 their composition differs from that of any other substances we are acqua=
inted with. Aerolites have been metwith in almost all parts of the world.=
 One in South America is estimated to weigh 30,000 pounds, and another 14=
,000 pounds, and there is a large one in the Yale College cabinet from th=
e Red river in Arkansas, which weighs 1,635 pounds. Pallas discovered one=
 in Siberia, which weighed 1,600 pounds, and contains crystals of chyreol=
ite. They are described by Livy, Plutarch and Pliny. The latter speaks of=
 one as large as a wagon, that fell in the Hellespont. By the ancients th=
ey were held in great reverence. Iron is the principal ingredient in thes=
e stones, varying from 85 to 90 per cent, of their weight; nezt is nickel=
, from 6.5 to 10.7 per cent., and then follows a long list of metals, whi=
ch are nearly all found in every analysis, viz: cobalt, copper, tin, magn=
esium, aluminum, potassium, sodium, manganese, and other substances as su=
lpher, carbon, silica, phosporus, oxygen and hydrogen. To the metals name=
d lead is now to be added, on the authority of Mr.Gleig, of England, who =
has discovered it in small globules in a mass of meteoric iron at Tarapac=
a, Chili. These substances combine to form a number of mineral compounds,=
 some of which are often met with in terrestrial rocks, and one is percul=
iar to Aerolites. This compound is termed schreibersite, and is phosphure=
t of iron and nickel, expressed probably by the formula Ni2 Fe4 P. It occ=
urs in small particles and little flakes, disseminated through the mass, =
and so closely resembles magnetic iron pyrites, that it may easily be mis=
taken for it.
These stones are often called meteoric iron, from the metal of which they=
 are principally composed. In appearance they resemble maleable iron; the=
y are black on the outside and grayish white within, and like iron, affec=
t the magnetic needle. Their specific gravity varies with the relative pr=
oportion of metalic and earthy substances. According to Brande and Thomps=
on, it is from 3.35 to 4.28, but according to Dana ("Mineralogy,") it is =
rarely as low as 6, and a fragment from North Carolina gave 7.318. Van Ma=
rum, in the Haarlem Transactions, described one from the Cape of Good Hop=
e of specific gravity - 7.604, which is about the specific gravity of mal=
eable iron. A small one which fell in Tennessee in 1855, has the specific=
 gravity of only 3.2. In whatever part of the world they are found, they =
present so remarkable a similarity of composition and appearance, that we=
 are compelled to assign to them a common origin. Their composition diffe=
ring from anything belonging to the earth (though presenting no new eleme=
nts,) in connection with the circumstances attending their introduction, =
make it probable that their origin is in some other body than the earth. =
They appear instantaneously as meteors, surrounded with a bright halo, an=
d rushing through the air in an oblique direction towards the earth with =
immense velocity. They shine with intense splendor, and then explode with=
 a loud noise, sometimes at the height of thirty or fourty miles above th=
e surface. In Normandy, in France, in the year 1803, they appeared in the=
 form of a ball of fire, accompanied with a small rectangular cloud which=
 did not move, and from which explosions came, the vapor being sent out i=
n all directions on each explosion. This cloud was so high that it appear=
ed at the same instant immediately over the heads of observes a league ap=
art. Stones fell from the cloud with a hissing noise, as if projected wit=
h a sling, and were scattered over a tract of country two and a half leag=
ues long by one broad.
Above two thousand were collected, the largest weighing seventeen and a h=
alf pounds. Fortunately for mankind, the visits of these strangers are se=
ldon in such numbers. They most frequently come singly, and as the unfreq=
uented parts of the earth, and those covered with the waters, present by =
far the greatest surface, their fall is for the most part remote from the=
 habitations of man. In their fall they bury themselves in the earth, so =
great is their velocity, and for some time they continue so hot they cann=
ot be handled. As these bodies sometimes illuminate a tract of one hundre=
d or two hundred miles in extent, it is probable that only a portin of th=
e mass reaches the earth, while the main body keeps on its way through th=
e heavens. Three hypotheses have been proposed to account for the source =
of Aerolites. First, that they are meteors formed in the atmosphere by th=
e aggregation of their particles, as rain and hail are formed. Second, th=
at they belonged to the moon, and were projected from its volcanoes with =
such force as to bring them within the sphere of the earth's attraction. =
This is the theory of Laplace. He calculated that a body projected from t=
he moon with the velocity of 1,771 feet in the first second, would reach =
our earth in about two and a half days. This velocity is less than four t=
imes that commonly given to a cannon ball. The third hypothesis is that o=
f Chladoi, the German philosopher, who published his views in a tract at =
Riga and Leipsic in the year 1794, and still more fully in his great work=
 on this subject published in Vienna in 1819. It is that these bodies are=
 small planets or fragments of planets moving through space, which on ent=
ering our atmosphere lose their velocity and fall to the earth. Such cons=
iderations lead us to the original hypothesis of Chladoi. As first propos=
ed by him, it is thus stated in general form by Professor Nichol: "Throug=
h the interplanetary spaces, and it may be, through the interstellar spac=
es also, vast numbers of small masses of solid matter may be moving in ir=
regular orbits; and these as they approach any planet of powerful gravita=
tion, such as the earth, will be disturbed and made to fall toward its su=
rface." There is a failure in his hypothesis to account for the heat of t=
hese bodues as they pass our atmosphere, and no theory of the compression=
 of the atmosphere caused by their rapid motion has been able to ezplain =
it. But Professor Nichoi suggests "that the recent and apparently establi=
shed conception regarding heat, viz: that it must be evolved as an equiva=
lent for any destroyed mechanical effect, wholly removes the difficulty."

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<HTML><BODY STYLE=3D"font:10pt verdana; border:none;"><DIV><FONT size=3D2=
> <P>Banner of Liberty</P> <P>Middle Town, N.Y.</P> <P>July 6, 1859</P> <=
P>Page: 1</P> <P>Aerolites, or Meteors</P> <P>The following account of Me=
teors, is from the North American Cyclopedia:</P> <P>AEROLITES, (Gr, aer,=
 air, and lithos, stone) are stones that have fallen from the air. The fa=
ct is fully conceded, and it is also established that their composition d=
iffers from that of any other substances we are acquainted with. Aerolite=
s have been metwith in almost all parts of the world. One in South Americ=
a is estimated to weigh 30,000 pounds, and another 14,000 pounds, and the=
re is a large one in the Yale College cabinet from the Red river in Arkan=
sas, which weighs 1,635 pounds. Pallas discovered one in Siberia, which w=
eighed 1,600 pounds, and contains crystals of chyreolite. They are descri=
bed by Livy, Plutarch and Pliny. The latter speaks of one as large as a w=
agon, that fell in the Hellespont. By the ancients they were held in grea=
t reverence. Iron is the principal ingredient in these stones, varying fr=
om 85 to 90 per cent, of their weight; nezt is nickel, from 6.5 to 10.7 p=
er cent., and then follows a long list of metals, which are nearly all fo=
und in every analysis, viz: cobalt, copper, tin, magnesium, aluminum, pot=
assium, sodium, manganese, and other substances as sulpher, carbon, silic=
a, phosporus, oxygen and hydrogen. To the metals named lead is now to be =
added, on the authority of Mr.Gleig, of England, who has discovered it in=
 small globules in a mass of meteoric iron at Tarapaca, Chili. These subs=
tances combine to form a number of mineral compounds, some of which are o=
ften met with in terrestrial rocks, and one is perculiar to Aerolites. Th=
is compound is termed schreibersite, and is phosphuret of iron and nickel=
, expressed probably by the formula Ni2 Fe4 P. It occurs in small particl=
es and little flakes, disseminated through the mass, and so closely resem=
bles magnetic iron pyrites, that it may easily be mistaken for it.</P> <P=
>These stones are often called meteoric iron, from the metal of which the=
y are principally composed. In appearance they resemble maleable iron; th=
ey are black on the outside and grayish white within, and like iron, affe=
ct the magnetic needle. Their specific gravity varies with the relative p=
roportion of metalic and earthy substances. According to Brande and Thomp=
son, it is from 3.35 to 4.28, but according to Dana ("Mineralogy,") it is=
 rarely as low as 6, and a fragment from North Carolina gave 7.318. Van M=
arum, in the Haarlem Transactions, described one from the Cape of Good Ho=
pe of specific gravity - 7.604, which is about the specific gravity of ma=
leable iron. A small one which fell in Tennessee in 1855, has the specifi=
c gravity of only 3.2. In whatever part of the world they are found, they=
 present so remarkable a similarity of composition and appearance, that w=
e are compelled to assign to them a common origin. Their composition diff=
ering from anything belonging to the earth (though presenting no new elem=
ents,) in connection with the circumstances attending their introduction,=
 make it probable that their origin is in some other body than the earth.=
 They appear instantaneously as meteors, surrounded with a bright halo, a=
nd rushing through the air in an oblique direction towards the earth with=
 immense velocity. They shine with intense splendor, and then explode wit=
h a loud noise, sometimes at the height of thirty or fourty miles above t=
he surface. In Normandy, in France, in the year 1803, they appeared in th=
e form of a ball of fire, accompanied with a small rectangular cloud whic=
h did not move, and from which explosions came, the vapor being sent out =
in all directions on each explosion. This cloud was so high that it appea=
red at the same instant immediately over the heads of observes a league a=
part. Stones fell from the cloud with a hissing noise, as if projected wi=
th a sling, and were scattered over a tract of country two and a half lea=
gues long by one broad.</P> <P>Above two thousand were collected, the lar=
gest weighing seventeen and a half pounds. Fortunately for mankind, the v=
isits of these strangers are seldon in such numbers. They most frequently=
 come singly, and as the unfrequented parts of the earth, and those cover=
ed with the waters, present by far the greatest surface, their fall is fo=
r the most part remote from the habitations of man. In their fall they bu=
ry themselves in the earth, so great is their velocity, and for some time=
 they continue so hot they cannot be handled. As these bodies sometimes i=
lluminate a tract of one hundred or two hundred miles in extent, it is pr=
obable that only a portin of the mass reaches the earth, while the main b=
ody keeps on its way through the heavens. Three hypotheses have been prop=
osed to account for the source of Aerolites. First, that they are meteors=
 formed in the atmosphere by the aggregation of their particles, as rain =
and hail are formed. Second, that they belonged to the moon, and were pro=
jected from its volcanoes with such force as to bring them within the sph=
ere of the earth's attraction. This is the theory of Laplace. He calculat=
ed that a body projected from the moon with the velocity of 1,771 feet in=
 the first second, would reach our earth in about two and a half days. Th=
is velocity is less than four times that commonly given to a cannon ball.=
 The third hypothesis is that of Chladoi, the German philosopher, who pub=
lished his views in a tract at Riga and Leipsic in the year 1794, and sti=
ll more fully in his great work on this subject published in Vienna in 18=
19. It is that these bodies are small planets or fragments of planets mov=
ing through space, which on entering our atmosphere lose their velocity a=
nd fall to the earth. Such considerations lead us to the original hypothe=
sis of Chladoi. As first proposed by him, it is thus stated in general fo=
rm by Professor Nichol: "Through the interplanetary spaces, and it may be=
, through the interstellar spaces also, vast numbers of small masses of s=
olid matter may be moving in irregular orbits; and these as they approach=
 any planet of powerful gravitation, such as the earth, will be disturbed=
 and made to fall toward its surface." There is a failure in his hypothes=
is to account for the heat of these bodues as they pass our atmosphere, a=
nd no theory of the compression of the atmosphere caused by their rapid m=
otion has been able to ezplain it. But Professor Nichoi suggests "that th=
e recent and apparently established conception regarding heat, viz: that =
it must be evolved as an equivalent for any destroyed mechanical effect, =
wholly removes the difficulty."</P></FONT><BR><BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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