Sylacauga (meteorite)
| Sylacauga | |
|---|---|
 The Hodges fragment of the meteorite at theAlabama Museum of Natural HistoryinTuscaloosa, Alabama. | |
| Type | Chondrite |
| Class | Ordinary chondrite |
| Group | H4 |
| Country | United States |
| Region | Alabama |
| Coordinates | 33°11′18.1″N86°17′40.2″W/ 33.188361°N 86.294500°W |
| Observed fall | Yes |
| Fall date | 18:46 UT on November 30, 1954 |
| TKW | 5.54 kg |
| Strewn field | Yes |
 Related media on Wikimedia Commons | |
TheSylacaugameteoritefell on November 30, 1954, at 12:46 p.m. local time (18:46 UT)[1]inOak Grove,Alabama,nearSylacauga,in theUnited States.It is also commonly called theHodges meteoritebecause a fragment of it struckAnn Elizabeth Fowler Hodges(1920–1972).[2]
Incident
[edit]Impact
[edit]Thegrapefruit-sized fragment crashed through the roof of a farm house, bounced off a large woodenconsole radio,and hit Hodges while she napped on a couch.[3]The 34-year-old woman was badly bruised on one side of her body, but was able to walk and able to take photos showing the fresh wound.[4]
Fireball
[edit]Themeteormade a fireball visible from three American states as it streaked through theatmosphere,even though it fell early in the afternoon.[5]There were also indications of an air blast, as witnesses described hearing "explosions or loud booms".[6]
Following events
[edit]The meteorite was confiscated by the Sylacauga police chief, who then turned it over to theUnited States Air Force.[7]Both the Hodgeses and their landlord, Bertie Guy, claimed ownership of the rock, Guy's claim being that it had fallen on her property.[7]The Hodgeses and Guy settled, with the Hodgeses paying $500 for the rock.[7]However, by the time it was returned to the Hodgeses, over a year later, public attention had diminished, and they were unable to then find a buyer.[7][8]
Ann Hodges was uncomfortable with the public attention and the stress of the dispute over ownership of the meteorite.[9]The Hodgeses donated it to theAlabama Museum of Natural Historyin 1956.[7]
The day after the fall, local farmer Julius McKinney came upon the second-largest fragment from the same meteorite.[10]AnIndianapolis-based lawyer bought it for theSmithsonian Institution.[10]The McKinney family was able to use the money to buy a car and a house.[10]
Other instances of people being hit by meteorites
[edit]The earliest claim of a person being hit by a meteorite comes from 1677 in a manuscript published atTortona,Italy, which tells of aMilanesefriar who was killed by one, although its veracity is unknown.[11]TheTunguska eventin 1908 is reported to have caused three casualties.[12]In 1992, a small meteorite fragment (3g) hit a young Ugandan boy inMbale;[13]it had been slowed by a tree and caused no injury.
On the night of October 3, 2021, a meteorite fell through the roof of a house inGolden, British Columbia,landing on a sleeping woman's pillow, but without harming her.[14]
Fragments
[edit]Upon the entry into theatmosphere,the Sylacauga meteorite fragmented into at least three pieces:[1]
- The Hodges fragment (3.86 kilograms (8.5 lb)) –33°11′18.1″N86°17′40.2″W/ 33.188361°N 86.294500°W); struck Ann Elizabeth Hodges.[15]
- The McKinney fragment (1.68 kilograms (3.7 lb)) –33°13′08.4″N86°17′20.7″W/ 33.219000°N 86.289083°W); was found the next day December 1, 1954, by Julius Kempis McKinney.[10]
- A third fragment is believed to have struck the Earth somewhere nearChildersburg(a few km northwest of Oak Grove).
Classification
[edit]The Sylacauga meteorite is classified as anordinary chondriteofH4 group.[2]
Orbit
[edit]Themeteoroidcame in on the sunward side of theEarth,so when it hit, it had passed theperihelionand was traveling outward from theSun.Considering the orbit estimations, the best candidate asparent bodyis1685 Toro.[1]
See also
[edit]- Auckland (meteorite),which crashed through a house in New Zealand
References
[edit]- ^abcPovenmire, H. (1995)."The Sylacauga, Alabama Meteorite: The Impact Locations, Atmosphere Trajectory, Strewn Field and Radiant".Abstracts of the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference.26:1133.Bibcode:1995LPI....26.1133P.Archivedfrom the original on May 13, 2020.RetrievedJune 17,2008.
- ^abMeteoritical Bulletin Database:Sylacauga
- ^Grundhauser, Eric (June 2, 2015)."The Meteorite That Landed on a Woman in Alabama".Slate.Archivedfrom the original on May 20, 2020.RetrievedJune 29,2015.
- ^"Ann Hodges shows off her bruise after being hit by a meteorite, 1954 - Rare Historical Photos".December 8, 2016.Archivedfrom the original on June 23, 2024.RetrievedNovember 30,2024.
- ^Swindel, G.W.; Jones, W.B (1954)."The Sylacauga, Talladega County, Alabama, Aerolite".Meteoritics.1(2):125–132.Bibcode:1954Metic...1..125S.doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.1954.tb01323.x.Archivedfrom the original on October 24, 2019.RetrievedJune 17,2008.
- ^Underwood, Madison (February 15, 2013)."Russian meteorite blast recalls the Alabama woman struck by a meteorite in 1954".al.Archivedfrom the original on February 21, 2013.RetrievedFebruary 16,2013.
- ^abcdeNobel, Justin (February 20, 2013)."The True Story of History's Only Known Meteorite Victim".National Geographic.Archivedfrom the original on October 3, 2024.RetrievedNovember 30,2024.
- ^Rusu, Livia (January 14, 2015)."The Woman who was struck by a meteorite".ZME Science. Archived from the original on April 10, 2019.RetrievedOctober 23,2024.
- ^Nobel, Justin (February 20, 2013)."The True Story of History's Only Known Meteorite Victim".National Geographic.Archived fromthe originalon February 21, 2013.RetrievedMay 3,2015.
Ann later suffered a nervous breakdown, and in 1964 she and Eugene separated. She died in 1972 at 52 of kidney failure at a Sylacaugan nursing home. Eugene suspects the meteorite and frenzy that followed had taken its toll on Ann. He said 'she never did recover,' according to the museum. Ann 'wasn't a person who sought out the limelight,' added museum director Randy Mecredy. 'The Hodges were just simple country people, and I really think that all the attention was her downfall.'
- ^abcdEllington, M.J. (November 30, 2006)."A star fell on Sylacauga: '54 meteorite struck home, woman, changed lives".The Decatur Daily.Archived fromthe originalon June 22, 2019.RetrievedJuly 3,2014.
- ^"Zeus Displeased".Futility Closet.January 12, 2010.Archivedfrom the original on September 6, 2017.RetrievedJuly 3,2014.
- ^Gritzner, C (1997). "Human Casualties in Impact Events".WGN.25:222.Bibcode:1997JIMO...25..222G.
- ^"The Mbale Meteorite Fall".Dutch Meteor Society.2002.Archivedfrom the original on May 26, 2019.RetrievedJuly 3,2014.
- ^Brend, Yvette (October 12, 2021)."Woman rocked awake by meteorite chunk crashing into her bedroom".CBC News.Archivedfrom the original on October 12, 2021.RetrievedNovember 30,2022.
- ^Blackwell, Phil."10 Unlikely Events That Actually Happened".The Perch.Archivedfrom the original on November 8, 2016.RetrievedNovember 7,2016.