[meteorite-list] Tata-Foumzgit Martian Fall. The most significant fall of this century?

From: Galactic Stone & Ironworks <meteoritemike_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:09:11 -0500
Message-ID: <CAKBPJW_ySvr8JZ7peH_BCC1AV0VgcJ9wUJnjUTYRT9DsRucbtw_at_mail.gmail.com>

Hi List,

Would it be safe to say, that the new Martian "Tata" fall is the most
significant meteorite fall of the 21st century, and perhaps of the
last 50+ years?

All things considered, this has the makings of a very significant
event for science. This is the most pristine sample of Mars to arrive
in labs for a long time, if ever. Even the freshest NWA finds cannot
compare to fresh stones collected less than a year after the fall.
The unbroken stones and larger fragments will supply science with
unaltered, unoxidixed material for research. This new Martian is
going to be widely studied, so I hope everyone is getting their
microprobes warmed up in anticipation.

Word has it that institutions and museums have been allocated a
sizeable amount of material in terms of trades and donations, so there
appears to be plenty of it available for study. It is safe to say
that this new meteorite (whatever the official name turns out to be)
will appear in a lot of papers and journals over time.

For science, this is the next best thing to a manned sample-return
mission. For collectors this is best thing since sliced bread. The
only thing that could have made this fall better, from a collector's
standpoint, is if a stone had bounced off a Bedouin tent and struck a
camel in the hump. But, you can't have your cake and eat it too. ;)

So, what is the going consensus on the details of this fall?

Nickname - Tata or Foumzgit (mostly "Tata")

TKW - several kilograms, probably less than 10kg. Much of this is in
the form of large whole stones and large broken stones and that
material has been absorbed into collections and is not likely to
return to the market. Ballpark figure of material to be available
eventually on the collector market is probably "a few kilos" (2-3kg?)

Date of fall - July of 2011 (certain), actual date - July 25, 2011?
Other reports say earlier in July (13-15?)

Time of fall - day or night? (night?)

Type - Shergottite, shocked, silver-grey matrix with black shock
veins. Glossy fresh black fusion crust.

Misc - witness reports include an audible explosion and popping sounds.

Does all of that sound about right?


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Galactic Stone & Ironworks - Meteorites & Amber (Michael Gilmer)

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Received on Thu 12 Jan 2012 12:09:11 PM PST