COMET LULIN UPDATE 8JAN09

COMET LULIN UPDATE 8JAN09

COMET LULIN UPDATE: The plasma tail of Comet Lulin, torn off by a solar wind gust on Feb. 4th, has already grown back. Also, observers in dark-sky locations report that the comet is now visible to the naked eye as a pale "fuzzy patch" in the constellation Libra before dawn. The comet is brightening as it approaches Earth for a 38-million-mile close encounter on Feb. 24th. See the latest images in the Comet Lulin Photo Gallery: http://spaceweather.com/comets/gallery_lulin_page7.htm

Space Weather News for Feb. 8, 2009
http://spaceweather.com

DUSKY LUNAR ECLIPSE: On Monday, 9FEB09

DUSKY LUNAR ECLIPSE:
On Monday, Feb. 9th, the full Moon will pass through the outskirts of Earth's shadow, producing a penumbral lunar eclipse. The event will be visible to the naked eye as a dusky shading of the northern half of the Moon. Maximum eclipse occurs between the hours of 1400 and 1520 UT (6:00 am - 7:20 am PST). The timing favors observers in east Asia, Australia, Hawaii and western parts of North America.
Visit http://spaceweather.com for a visibility map, animations, and more information.

New Scientist" Commentary About Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis 8JAN09

New Scientist" Commentary About Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis 8JAN09

Beware Earth-shattering Headlines
04 February 2009 by Jeff Hecht
Magazine issue 2694.
"FEW editors can resist a disaster story, even one that happened in the distant past. So it is little wonder that the press jumped all over claims by a team of 25 researchers in 2007 that a mysterious impact on the North American ice sheet 12,900 years ago wiped out the continent's Pleistocene megafauna and the Clovis culture of the early settlers, and wreaked havoc on the global climate. The researchers claim a comet collision triggered wildfires across the continent and a sudden cooling known as the Younger Dryas event. If correct, the theory could help resolve a long-running debate over whether climate change or the first human settlers killed off the mammoths and other ice-age giants"....for the rest of the story:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20126947.000-beware-earthshattering-headlines.html

Papers Dispute the Existence of Wildfires with Start of Younger Dryas 7FEB09

Two papers, both of which dispute the occurrence of wildfires associated with a hypothetical impact event at the start of the Younger Dryas, have been recently published.

They are:
1. Marlon, J. R., P. J. Bartlein, M. K. Walsh, S. P. Harrison, K. J. Brown, M. E. Edwards, P. E. Higuera, M. J. Power, R. S. Anderson, C. Briles, A. Brunelle, C. Carcaillet, M. Daniels, F. S. Hu, M. Lavoie, C. Long, T. Minckley, P. J. H. Richard, A. C. Scott, D. S. Shafer, W. Tinner, C. E. Umbanhowar, Jr., and C. Whitlock, 2009,
Wildfire responses to abrupt climate change in North America.
Proceedings for the National Academy of Science.
Published online before print February 3, 2009, doi: 10.1073/pnas.0808212106
Abstract at:
http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2009/02/03/0808212106.abstract

and

2. van der Hammen, T. and B. van Geel, 2008,
Charcoal in soils of the Allerød-Younger Dryas transition were the result of natural fires and not necessarily the effect of an extra-terrestrial impact. Netherlands Journal of Geosciences (Geologie en Mijnbouw) vol. 87, no. 4, pp. 359-361.
PDF file at:
http://www.imep-cnrs.com/docu/charcoal.pdfhttp://www.njgonline.nl/publish/articles/000404/english.html

A paper about the role of climatic change unrelated to extraterrestrial impacts in wildfire synchrony is:

Kitzberger, T., P. M. Brown, E. K. Heyerdahl, T. W. Swetnam, and T. T. Veblen, 2007, Contingent Pacific–Atlantic Ocean influence on multicentury wildfire synchrony over western North America.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. vol. 104 , no. 2.pp. 543-548.
Abstract at:
http://www.pnas.org/content/104/2/543.abstract

Source: Paul Heinrich. LA, USA

Near-Earth Astroids PHAs 6FEB2009

Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) are space rocks larger than approximately 100m that can come closer to Earth than 0.05 AU. None of the known PHAs is on a collision course with our planet, although astronomers are finding new ones all the time.
http://spaceweather.com/

On February 6, 2009 there were 1022 potentially hazardous asteroids.
Feb. 2009 Earth-asteroid encounters:
Asteroid//Date(UT)//Miss Distance//Mag.//Size
2009 BK58//Feb. 2 //1.7 LD//17//30 m
2009 BW2//Feb. 5 //8.4 LD//20//40 m
2009 BE58//Feb. 10 //8.6 LD//16//225 m
2006 AS2 //Feb. 10//9.2 LD//15//370 m
2009 BL58 //Feb. 11//4.8 LD//17//55 m
1999 AQ10 //Feb. 18//4.4 LD//13//390 m

Notes: LD means "Lunar Distance." 1 LD = 384,401 km, the distance between Earth and the Moon. 1 LD also equals 0.00256 AU. MAG is the visual magnitude of the asteroid on the date of closest approach.

Comet Lulin (C/2007 N3) Loses Part of Its Tail

Photo credit: Ernesto Guido, Giovanni Sostero & Paul Camilleri [more]

Space Weather News for Feb. 5, 2009
http://spaceweather.com/

COMET TAIL: Comet Lulin (C/2007 N3) is approaching Earth and putting on a good show for amateur astronomers. Yesterday, Feb. 4th, observers witnessed a "disconnection event." A gust of solar wind tore off part of the comet's tail in plain view of backyard telescopes. Photos of the event are featured on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com/.
Activity in the comet's tail and atmosphere will become even easier to see in the weeks ahead as Lulin nears closest approach on Feb. 24th. At that time the comet will lie only 38 million miles from Earth and it should be visible to the naked eye. In the meantime, please note that Feb. 5th-7th, is an especially good time to find Comet Lulin in the pre-dawn sky. The comet is gliding beautifully close to the naked-eye double star Zubenelgenubi. Just point your binoculars at the double star and the comet will materialize right beside it.
Visit http://spaceweather.com/ for photos, sky maps and more information.

Russian Fireball Photo by Mikhail Maslov, Russia 2009

Meteor Photo CVBS-(071214)-n01-down.jpg 2009/01/16
Photo Credit: Mikhail Maslov, Russia
Jan 16/17 2009 12:08-22:56

Comet Lulin-Green Comet Approaches Earth 4FEB09

Photo by Jack Newton 2009 (c)

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/04feb_greencomet.htm
Green Comet Approaches Earth
NASA Science news02.04.2009 February 4, 2009:

In 1996, a 7-year-old boy in China bent over the eyepiece of a small telescope and saw something that would change his life--a comet of flamboyant beauty, bright and puffy with an activetail. At first he thought he himself had discovered it, but no, helearned, two men named "Hale" and "Bopp" had beat him to it. Mastering his disappointment, young Quanzhi Ye resolved to find his own comet one day.And one day, he did. Fast forward to a summer afternoon in July 2007. Ye, now 19 years old and a student of meteorology at China's Sun Yat-sen University, bent over his desk to stare at a black-and-white star field. The photo was taken nights before by Taiwanese astronomer Chi Sheng Lin on "skypatrol" at the Lulin Observatory. Ye's finger moved from point to point--and stopped. One of the stars was not a star, it was a comet, and this time Ye saw it first.Comet Lulin, named after the observatory in Taiwan where the discovery-photo was taken, is now approaching Earth. "It is a green beauty that could become visible to the naked eye any day now," says Ye. Amateur astronomer Jack Newton sends this photo from his backyard observatory in Arizona: http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/images/greencomet/Jack-Newton1.jpg

"My retired eyes still cannot see the brightening comet," says Newton,"but my 14-inch telescope picked it up quite nicely on Feb. 1st."The comet makes its closest approach to Earth (0.41 AU) on Feb. 24,2009. Current estimates peg the maximum brightness at 4th or 5th magnitude, which means dark country skies would be required to see it.No one can say for sure, however, because this appears to be Lulin's first visit to the inner solar system and its first exposure to intense sunlight. Surprises are possible.Lulin's green color comes from the gases that make up its Jupiter-sized atmosphere. Jets spewing from the comet's nucleus contain cyanogen (CN:a poisonous gas found in many comets) and diatomic carbon (C2). Both substances glow green when illuminated by sunlight in the near-vacuum ofspace.In 1910, many people panicked when astronomers revealed Earth would passthrough the cyanogen-rich tail of Comet Halley. False alarm: The wispy tail of the comet couldn't penetrate Earth's dense atmosphere; even it if had penetrated, there wasn't enough cyanogen to cause real trouble. Comet Lulin will cause even less trouble than Halley did. At closest approach in late February, Lulin will stop 38 million miles short of Earth, utterly harmless.To see Comet Lulin with your own eyes, set your alarm for 3 am. The comet rises a few hours before the sun and may be found about 1/3rd of the way up the southern sky before dawn. Here are some dates when it is especially easy to find:
sky map

Feb. 6th:
Comet Lulin glides by Zubenelgenubi, a double star at the fulcrum of Libra's scales. Zubenelgenubi is not only fun to say (zuBEN-el-JA-newbee), but also a handy guide. You can see Zubenelgenubi with your unaided eye (it is about as bright as stars in the Big Dipper); binoculars pointed at the binary star reveal Comet Lulin in beautiful proximity.
[sky map]

Feb. 16th:
Comet Lulin passes Spica in the constellation Virgo. Spica is a star of first magnitude and a guidepost even city astronomers cannotmiss. A finderscope pointed at Spica will capture Comet Lulin in the field of view, centering the optics within a nudge of both objects. [skymap ]

Feb. 24th:
Closest approach! On this special morning, Lulin will lie just a few degrees from Saturn in the constellation Leo. Saturn is obvious to the unaided eye, and Lulin could be as well. If this doesn't draw you out of bed, nothing will.
[sky map]

Ye notes that Comet Lulin is remarkable not only for its rare beauty,but also for its rare manner of discovery. "This is a 'comet ofcollaboration' between Taiwanese and Chinese astronomers," he says. "The discovery could not have been made without a contribution from both sides of the Strait that separates our countries. Chi Sheng Lin andother members of the Lulin Observatory staff enabled me to get the images I wanted, while I analyzed the data and found the comet."Somewhere this month, Ye imagines, another youngster will bend over an eyepiece, see Comet Lulin, and feel the same thrill he did gazing at Comet Hale-Bopp in 1996. And who knows where that might lead...?"I hope that my experience might inspire other young people to pursue the same starry dreams as myself," says Ye.

Traditional Star Lore of Africa 4JAN09

Traditional star lore of Africa
The sky and the stars
http://www.psychohistorian.org/display_article.php?id=200901111733_african_star_lore.content#20110205083546440
compiled and written by Auke Slotegraaf
A wide-spread African concept is that the sky is a solid dome, perhaps made of blue rock, resting on the Earth, upon which the Sun moves. The traditional Tswana idea is that stars are holes in the rocky vault that is the sky.

The Nyae Nyae !Kung Bushmen saw the sky as the dwelling place of all the divine beings and spirits of the dead. The “things of the sky” generally do not influence or reflect the affairs of man, the !Kung taught, nor do they affect the weather, the growth of vegetation, or other conditions of the earth; they are in a realm of their own.

In Xhosa, a star is inkwenkwezi, inkanyezi in Zulu, nyenyedzi in Shona, dinaledi in Sotho, tinyeleti in Tsonga, maledzi in Venda, linaleri in Setswana, and nyota in Swahili.

While the /Xam Bushmen believed the stars were formerly people, some !Kung Bushmen taught that stars are, in fact, small creatures, and look like tiny porcupines - they have little legs, ears, teeth and are covered with tiny spines. Another !Kung account says that stars are actually ant lions, watching from overhead with their bright eyes. When they are hungry and see an ant, they quickly fall to the ground to catch it. Some say that all the stars fall to the ground each morning, and we see them on earth as insects. The Ibibio of Nigeria spoke picturesquely of the stars as “Sand of the Moon”.

The Moon
The Moon – iNyanga to the Xhosa and Zulu, Nwedzi to the Shona and Venda, and Ngwedi to the Sotho and Tswana – is probably the most obvious feature in the night sky, because of its size, brightness, and changing appearance (phases). As the Moon orbits the Earth it goes through a sequence of phases, from New Moon (invisible) to crescent, half-moon, Full Moon, half-moon, and back to New Moon.

To the Kora KhoiKhoi, the Moon was kham, “the Returner”; the Nama KhoiKhoi spoke of khab. The KhoiKhoi also considered the Moon as “the Lord of Light and Life”, and would sing and dance at times of New and Full Moon.

The Nyae Nyae !Kung Bushmen said that the crescent phases with sharp points was male, while the Full round Moon was female.

The Xhosa considered the time of New Moon as a period of inaction. When it reappeared as a crescent in the evening sky, it was cause for celebration. Important events were scheduled to take place around the time of Full Moon. Also at Full Moon the mothers would de-worm their children, believing that at this time the worms collected in one place and could be effectively treated.

The Naro Bushmen taught that when the crescent Moon slopes downward, it is said to be looking into a grave and this is a sign that many people will die in that season. A crescent pointing upward was a favourable sign. The round Full Moon is a sign of satisfaction and that people will find plenty of food.

In /Xam Bushmen mythology, the Moon is a man who has made the Sun angry. The Sun’s sharp light cuts off pieces of the Moon until almost the whole of the Moon is gone, leaving only one small piece. The Moon then pleads for mercy and the Sun lets him go. From this small piece, the Moon gradually grows again until it becomes a Full Moon. The /Xam also have another account of how the Moon came to be. In the old times, it was said, the Moon was one of the leather sandals of the Mantis-god /kaggen. The sandal was placed in water to soften it somewhat, but this angered the water spirit who then froze the water, locking the sandal in ice. When /kaggen saw the frozen sandal he discarded it, throwing it up into the sky, where it became the Moon. Whatever its origin, the /Xam considered the New Moon as being able to influence hunting and the gathering of ants’ eggs, and when the crescent was sighted, they would ask for its assistance.

The surface of the Moon has dark and bright markings; flat lava plains and rocky highlands, respectively. In many African traditions these markings are said to resemble the figure of a man or woman carrying a bundle of sticks.

When the Earth’s shadow falls on the Moon, a lunar eclipse occurs. The Nyae Nyae !Kung Bushmen said that this was caused by the lion, putting his paw over the Moon to darken the night so he could have better hunting

Under certain atmospheric conditions, a “moon bow” can form, appearing as a large ring around the Moon. To the /Gwi Bushman, such a ring was a sign that food will be plentiful.

Bright southern stars

The Southern Cross (Crux) and the two bright Pointers (alpha and beta Centuari) are probably the most recognizable of the southern stars, and they feature prominently in African star lore.

In Sotho, Tswana and Venda traditions, these stars are Dithutlwa, “The Giraffes”. The bright stars of Crux are male giraffes, and the two Pointers are female. The Venda called the fainter stars of the Southern Cross Thudana, “The Little Giraffe”. They also say that the month Khubvhumedzi begins when the crescent Moon can be seen for the first time and, at the same time, the lower two giraffe stars are just below the horizon and the upper two are just visible. Sotho lore tells that when the giraffe stars are seen close to the south-western horizon just after sunset, they indicate the beginning of cultivating season.

The /Xam Bushmen saw the two Pointers as male lions; they were once men, but a magical girl turned them into stars. The three brightest stars of the Southern Cross they saw to be female lions. To the Khoikhoi, the Pointers were known as Mura, “The Eyes”, of some great celestial beast.

The Coal Sack, a large dark nebula near the Southern Cross, is known as the “Old Bag of the Night” to the Nyae Nyae !Kung Bushmen.

The long axis of the Southern Cross points towards a bright star called Achernar. This star is called Senakane (Sotho, Tswana) and Tshinanga (Venda), meaning “The Little Horn”.

Brighter still than Achernar is Canopus, one of the brightest stars in the night sky. It is widely known in southern Africa as Naka, “The Horn Star”. In Sotho tradition, a careful watch was kept for Naka about the end of May. Sotho chiefs awarded a cow for Naka’s earliest sighting. The day of the sighting the chief would call his medicine-men together. Throwing their bone dice, the doctors would judge whether the new season would be good or bad. The appearance of Naka also heralds coming of winter and browning of the veld. When Naka appeared before sunrise, the Tswana knew it was time to start breeding their sheep. In Venda tradition, the first person to see Nanga in the morning sky (in May, heralding winter) would climb a hill and blow the phalaphala (black sable antelope horn) and he would receive a cow as a prize. The Zulu knew Canopus as isAndulela, a messenger appearing at the end of Autumn, the harvest time, and also as inKhwenkwezi, “The Brilliant Star”. The /Xam Bushmen believed that Canopus could influence the availability of ants’ eggs, a rich source of nourishment, and they called it “The Ant Egg Star”.

The beautiful constellation Scorpius with its slender curved row of stars is famous for the bright reddish star Antares. This star was called by the !Xu Bushmen “The Fire-Finishing Star” – not only does it have a reddish colour, but (at certain times of the year) it sets very late at night, when the camp fires have died down. (See also Arcturus and Regulus below.)

Along the curved body of the scorpion, just before the tail section, lies a close pair of stars (mu-1 and mu-2 Scorpii), which the Khoikhoi called xami di mura, “The Eyes of the Lion”.

Near Scorpius is a conspicuous circlet of stars known as Corona Australis, the Southern Crown. The /Xam Bushmen had a tale about a group of men who sat eating together when a bewitched girl look upon them, turning them into these stars.

The bright star Fomalhaut lies in a rather star-poor region and is prominent in the summer sky. It is called Ndemara, “The Sweetheart Star”, by the Shona, and Ntshuna, “The Kiss Me Star”, by the Tswana. The visibility of this star was supposed to indicate the time for lovers to part before their parents discovered them. (Compare this with the tale about Venus the Evening Star, below).

Another prominent southern star is Peacock (alpha Pavonis); the /Gwi Bushmen call it “The Female Steenbok”.

The Magellanic Clouds
On a moonless night under a dark sky, two interesting “clouds” can be seen to the south, one cloud much larger and brighter than the other. These are the Magellanic Clouds, or the “Cape Clouds”, and are actually entire galaxies, thousands of light years away.

The Ju/Wasi and !Kung Bushmen said that the larger cloud was a part of the sky where soft thornless grass grows, like the kind they used for bedding. One day, they say, God climbed onto the large cloud and went hunting. Several other Bushman groups saw the two clouds as male and female steenbok.

The Sotho saw the clouds as the spoor of two celestial animals. The large cloud was Setlhako sa Naka, “The Spoor of the Horn Star” (Naka, Canopus) and the smaller cloud was Setlhako sa Senakane, “The Spoor of the Little Horn Star” (Senakane, Achernar).

Tswana folklore tells that when the small cloud appeared more clearly than the large cloud, a drought would follow.

Visit PsychoHistorian.org for more lore on the Sun, The Milky Way, The stars around Orion, Venus, comets and meteors.
http://www.psychohistorian.org/display_article.php?id=200901111733_african_star_lore.content#20110205083546440
Original Source: http://www.psychohistorian.org/
Posted from: http://www.marklives.com/wordpress/?p=347
Thank you to Paolo Gallo, M.V., Venezuela for the forwarded post.

Meteorite hits Akhnoor, Jammu, Kashmir 31JAN09

Meteorite hits Akhnoor

by AZHAR RAFIQIE
Srinagar, Feb 1: A meteorite hit Akhnoor area in Jammu, Saturday night following which many astronomical organizations rushed their teams to study the phenomenon on the spot. The meteorite, according to the locals, descended in the open ground at 11.25 pm. However, it didn’t cause any damage to life or property, owing to its smaller size and low velocity, the locals added.
Many astronomical organizations including Indian Space Research Organization, TATA Institute of Research and the Kashmir University dispatched their teams to the area. One of the experts, who was on the spot, told Greater Kashmir over phone, “The meteorite was not that big in size otherwise it would have caused much damage due to its impact. It can prove more dangerous if its velocity and size is larger. It can cause serious damage and create a huge crater on earth.”
He said that facts would only come to fore after the research would be over. “We are assessing the samples and the impact area. We would be able to come to any conclusion after the research is over,” he added.
Meteorites are the parts of solar system and keep hitting earth. When it enters the atmosphere, impact pressure causes the body to heat-up and emit light, thus forming a fireball, also known as a meteor or shooting star. Most meteorites disintegrate when entering the earth’s atmosphere. However, an estimated 500 meteorites ranging in size from marbles to basketballs or larger do reach the surface each year; only 5 or 6 of these are typically recovered and made known to scientists.
Source: Greater Kashmir News,
SRINAGAR, MONDAY, 6 SAFAR-UL-MUZAFFAR 1430 AH ; MONDAY, FEBRUARY 02, 2009 CE
http://www.greaterkashmir.com/full_story.asp?Date=2_2_2009&ItemID=29&cat=21

Bolide Over Oklahoma/Texas 30SEP2008 photo

Bolide over Oklahoma/Texas 30SEP2008 by Howard Edin 
(c)2008 used with permission

Photograph Information
Date
09.30.2008, 02:19 CDT
Location
Kenton, OK
Camera
Canon 20D, Tokina 12-24 lens set for 12mm @f4.
Exposure
Single 30 second exposure at ISO 1600
Notes:
50°F, 75%RH, Excellent transparencyInitial RAW conversion, slight asinh stretch in IRIS. Calibrated with bias, dark and flat frames. Noise reduction in PixInsight LE 1.02 Additional adjustments in Photoshop CS2

David Wang captured the same meteor using a fisheye lens. See the Okie-Tex photo page for that image.
Source: Howard Edin http://www.howardedin.com/photos/otsp2008-bolide.html

An additional report on the Tamdakht, Moroc Fall UPDATE 1FEB09

Photos courtesy of M.Aid & Svend Buhl, text Svend Buhl

First meteorite finds
Several professional Moroccan meteorite prospectors launched search campaigns immediately after the first reports of a fireball sighting spread.
The terrain in the foothills of the High Atlas is challenging to say the least. Unlike the Hammadahs and Serirs of the Sahara desert it can not be searched by car due to steep ravines, boulder fields and numerous canyons and dry riverbeds with steep cliffs. It took the distinguished hunters two weeks to locate the first fragments by the help of local villagers.
On January 3, 2009 A. Habibi reported the first chondritic finds on the Meteorite Central mailing list. Fragments were sent to scientific institutions and distributed among collectors only days later under the synonyms, "Taliouine", "Ticka" and "Tamdaght".

The weather in the strewn field has changed in the second week of January, from dry cold to rain and storm. Thus search and preservation conditions for the meteorites still in field have worsened. While the first few reported finds displayed no or only minimal signs of oxidation, the finds from the end of January already show some rust staining on the fusion crusted surfaces. As the number of recovered fragments went from two to six it became clear that the bolide had fragmented and produced a strewn field. Many of the reassembled masses show angular shapes indicating that they stem from a larger mother body detonated in flight. The explosion sounds reported by the eye witnesses support the idea of one or more multiple detonations.

As most specimens we have been able to study so far show a thick (0.7 - 1.1 mm) fusion crust. The ablation process must have continued after the fragmentation. However, NO eye witnesses reported multiple fireballs.

The fusion crust of the Tamdakht meteorites shows a rough, vesicular texture and often displays bubbles in the submilimeter scale.

The strewn field
The strewn field was reported to stretch from Tourdjale to Oued. We could not locate these settlements on our topographic maps but we have been sent GPS find locations by three different finders who found a total of 6 masses.

These meteorites have been found 11 - 16 km northeast of the city of Tamdaght, at the far side of the Jebel Tachkoucht. Please note that this data may cover only a part of the actual strewn field.

Approximate trajectory according to eye witness reports and meteorite find location according to finder's GPS data given in red. Map public domain, courtesy of Texas University The meteorite finds were located on the southern flanks of the Jebel Anrhomer whose peak touches the sky at an altitude of 3607 meters. The terrain is shaped by dry river beds with a south orientation, which have cut into the limestone and clay bedrock. The common soil type in the wadis of the Asif Imouten and the Asif Anarhra are aluvial gravels composed of limestone, red sandstone, dolocretes and clay. The higher banks with little or no hydraulic gradient often show a blanket of a dark red laterite soil. The find locations are in altitudes around ~1550 meters. Most masses which have been found until present, including those with weights below 1kg, are commonly broken into many fragments due to the forces of impact.

The horizontal trajectory, shallow impact pits in the loose gravel soil and the total destruction of masses that did not impact rock but clay surfaces, may provide evidence that the meteorites did retain at least some of their cosmic velocity until they hit the ground at an altitude of 1500 meters. At present a total of at ~10 masses totalling ~45kg can be considered confirmed. As most masses were recovered in the shape of many fragments the exact number of recovered specimens is hard to establish. Several other masses of unknown weight have been reported, thus no second source was able to confirm these additional masses, of which one was said to have a weight of ~100kg. The largest mass reported fragmented on impact on the flank of a limestone outcrop and shattered in many pieces. These were distributed in a half circle around the impact site up to a distance of 30 meters. Images that show numerous small fragments of this mass in- situ can be found on the website of Phillipe Thomas.

Several other masses fragmented on impact. Among these a specimen of ~400g of which seven fragments were recovered. After reassembling this meteorite showed the shape of a delta or short boomerang, with thin flanks, but with no apparent signs of orientation (see 2nd image on this page). About 95% of the meteorite was recovered. More or less intact specimens found include a 2007g individual and a 1514g individual, both with impact marks and less than 5% of the mass missing. Cut sections of the Tamdaght meteorite show a chondritic matrix with small chondrules which are hard to spot, particularly on fragmented surfaces. Several of the specimens recovered show slickensides.
We will continue to report information on the Tamdakht meteorite fall here and we appreciate any assist from Morrocan meteorite enthusiasts providing images from the field and information on further finds.

(Note: this is a summary of Svend`s page 2; to view ALL photos and pages see the links below)
http://www.meteorite-recon.com/en/meteorite%20tamdaght%201.htm
http://www.meteorite-recon.com/en/meteorite%20tamdaght%202.htm
http://www.meteorite-recon.com/en/meteorite%20tamdaght%203.htm

Source: Dr. Svend Buhl, Germany http://www.niger-meteorite-recon.de/ 1FEB09

Libyan Desert Glass

Libyan Desert Glass with natural hole ~2kg FOR SALE
(click on photo for larger view)- photo by Dirk Ross

Ramirez-Cardona, M., A. El-Barkooky, M. Hamdan, K. Flores-Castro, N. I. Jimenez-Martinez, and M. Mendoza-Espinosa, 2008, On the Libyan Desert Silica Glass (LDSG) transport model from a hypothetical impact structure. PIS-01 General contributions to impact structures, International Geological Congress Oslo 2008, Oslo, Norway.

"Fragments of this glass are mostly scattered upon the exposed bedrock of Nubia group (Cretaceous sandstone), on a large surface area along wide corridors between dunes of the Great Sand Sea (SW of Egypt). This distribution is somewhat the result of the tektite fluvial transport occurring throughout the Oligocene-Miocene boundary."

http://www.cprm.gov.br/33IGC/1350834.html

PIS-01 General contributions to impact structures

http://www.cprm.gov.br/33IGC/Sess_303.html

International Geological Congress Oslo 2008

http://www.cprm.gov.br/33IGC/index.html

Source: Paul Heinrich, LA, USA

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CLUSTER MAP OF WHO IS WATCHING FROM WHERE

(Click on Photo for a better view)

CLUSTER MAP OF WHO IS WATCHING FROM WHERE 1FEB09

---Thank you ALL! 749 visitors, since 19JAN09, in 13 days!
United States (US)343
Germany (DE)72
Canada (CA)40
Italy (IT)37
Poland (PL)34
France (FR)28
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United Kingdom (GB)24
Japan (JP)20
Spain (ES)12
Morocco (MA)11
Sweden (SE)10
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Australia (AU)9
Austria (AT)6
Switzerland (CH)6
Finland (FI)5
Belgium (BE)4
Russian Federation (RU)4
Czech Republic (CZ)4
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Non-impact origin of the crater field in the Gilf Kebir region (SW Egypt) 1FEB09

Non-impact origin of the crater field in the Gilf Kebir region (SW Egypt) by M. Di Martino, L. Orti, L. Matassoni 2, M. Morelli, R. Serra, and A. Buzzigoli PDF file at:
http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/doc.cfm?fobjectid=40214

Another file can found at:http://www.rssd.esa.int/SYS/include/pubs_display.php?project=MARSEXPRESS&id=1324871

and finally there is:
http://www.rssd.esa.int/SYS/include/pubs_display.php?project=MARSEXPRESS&id=1006109

Some other web pages:
1. Remarks to the origin of the craters around Gilf Kebir and Djebel Uweinat (Egypt) and the supposed impact craters of Libya. A not credible message to a so named crater "Kebira"by Norbert Brügge, Germany’
http://www.b14643.de/Sahara/Clayton%20Craters/index.htm

2. Pseudo Shatter Cones in the Western Desert (Egypt)by Norbert Brügge, Germany http://www.b14643.de/Sahara/Shatter%20Cones/index.htm
Source: Paul Heinrich, Baton Rouge, LA, USA

Younger Dryas Mammoth-killing Comet Questioned 29JAN09

1. Mammoth-killing Comet Questioned
BBC News, UK
"A study of wildfires after the last ice age has cast doubt on the theory that a giant comet impact wiped out woolly mammoths and prehistoric humans."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7854348.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/nolpda/ukfs_news/hi/newsid_7854000/7854348.stm

2. 12900 Years Ago: North American Comet Impact Theory Disproved
Science Daily (press release) - Jan 26, 2009
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090126173729.htm

Journal reference: J. R. Marlon, P. J. Bartlein, M. K. Walsh, S. P. Harrison, et al.
Wildfire responses to abrupt climate change in North America.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, DOI: 10.1073_pnas.0808212106
Source: P.V.H.

Artifacts Embedded in Suevite Reported from Malaysia ?? 29JAN09

USM Archaeological discovery can change world history
Article Released Thu-29th-January-2009 09:43 GMT
Mohamad Abdullah Institution: Universiti Sains Malaysia
http://www.researchsea.com/html/article.php/aid/3937/cid/6/research/usm_archaeological_discovery_can_change_world_history.html?PHPSESSID=b8204aec6f223e9ca02c1eae347bf168

In part the article stated:
"Penang, Malaysia 29 January – In a press conference this morning, The Centre for Archaeological Research Malaysia (CARM) announced evidence of human existence in Malaysia from approximately 1.83 million years ago."

Also, it stated:
"The advance study at Bukit Bunuh of Lenggong in the state of Perak, Malaysia was conducted in 2008. This new evidence consists of stone tools artefacts such as hand axe and flake tools. Those artefacts were found cemented in a rock called suevite, a type of rock formed by the impact of meteorite. The rock has been dated using a fission track dating method in Geochronology Lab in Japan, Tokyo, and discloses a date of approximately 1.83 ± 0.61 million years old."

And it stated:
"Handaxe that was made out of suevite has also been discovered. Meteorite impact had caused the native stone to melt and formed a new stone called suevite. This impact has been substantiated by the presence of suevite, crossed- lamellar microstructure on quartz, physical anomaly evidence and geomorphology evidence of an impact crater. The distribution of suevite is approximately 3-4 km2"

Another article is:

Leggong had early humans 1.8m years ago (updated)
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/1/29/nation/20090129172833&sec=nation
Source: Paul Heinrich, LA, USA 30JAN09
-------------------------------------
Related Post:
Does anyone know anything about these so-called impact structures?

HC potential of meteorite impact structures, focus on Sundaland
http://www.mail-archive.com/iagi-net@iagi.or.id/msg03653.html

This talk states:
"Several impact structures have been recently discovered in pre-Tertiary Peninsular Malaysia. In the Langkawi islands three of four arcuate ridges are associated with cleaved quartz that crops out as a sill and dyke complex. Other shock-metamorphic features include ribbon quartz and mosaicism. The two major craters, named Mahsuri Rings, partially overlap and each is about 2.4 km across. In 280o - 100o direction their centres are 600metres apart."

AND:
"Another proven impact structure is the Paloh Ring that straddles the state boundary between Terengganu and Pahang. The proof consists of planar deformation features (PDFs) and mosaicism in vein quartz intruded into undivided Carboniferous metasedimentary strata that compose the lower eastern slope of the 623m high Paloh peak."

Does anyone know anything about these alleged impact craters?
Please comment if you have any further information.

Source: P.V.H. 30JAN09
--------------------------------------
Rewriting 'Out of Africa' Theory
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Friday/National/2465951/Article/index_html
Rewriting 'Out of Africa' theory
By: Melissa Darlyne Chow
GEORGE TOWN:
Universiti Sains Malaysia's (USM) Centre for Archaeological Research Malaysia has found evidence of early human existence in the country dating back 1.83 million years."This discovery may make the rewriting of the 'out of Africa' theory necessary," the centre's director, Associate Professor Mokhtar Saidin said. The evidence was obtained from the discovery of artefacts in Bukit Bunuh, Lenggong, Perak. Mokhtar said the evidence found included stone-made tools such as axes and chopping tools. The artefacts were found embedded in suevite rock, formed as a result of the impact of meteorite crashing down at Bukit Bunuh. The suevite rock, reputedly the first found in Southeast Asia, was sent to the Geochronology Japan Laboratory three months ago and carbon dated using the fission track dating method.Mokhtar said the results were sent back to USM two weeks ago and it showed the rock was dated to 1.83 million years ago. He said based on current studies, there was fresh evidence of human mobility coming from Asia and Southeast Asia, and not just out of Africa. Based on world evidence, there was early human existence "out of Africa" in Georgia (1.8 to 1.7 million years ago); Sangiran, Jawa, Indonesia (1.7 to 1.2 million years ago); as well as Longgupo and Yuanmou in China (1.8 to 1.6 million years ago). He noted that with the new evidence, there was a possibility that the hominids in Jawa could have migrated from Bukit Bunuh as a result of destruction from the impact of meteorites.The four square-kilometre site, which was first excavated between 2001 and 2003, revealed a Palaeolithic culture, dated at 40,000 years ago. The meteorite crash site was also discovered, the impact of which had caused thestones in its original state at Bukit Bunuh to melt, congeal and subsequently form the suevite rock. USM Vice-Chancellor Tan Sri Prof Dzulkifli Abdul Razak said the discovery was animportant one for USM and the country as it would enable researchers to understand the origins of early humans in this region. He said the new discovery would also change the understanding of human exploration in this region.

Mid-Pleistocene impact at Dakhleh Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt

Mid-Pleistocene impact at Dakhleh Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt
A new paper has just been published about this impact. Smith, J. R., M. R. Kleindienst, H. P. Schwarcz, C. S. Churcher, J. M. Kieniewicz, G. R. Osinski, and A. F.C. Haldemann, 2009, Potential consequences of a Mid-Pleistocene impact event for the Middle Stone Age occupants of Dakhleh Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt.
Quaternary International. Volume 195, no. 1-2, pp, 138-149 (15 February 2009) doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2008.02.005
http://dx.doi.org/

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VGS-4S1C8CB-2&_user=10&_coverDate=02%2F15%2F2009&_rdoc=14&_fmt=high&_orig=browse&_srch=doc-info(%23toc%236046%232009%23998049998%23866095%23FLA%23display%23Volume)&_cdi=6046&_sort=d&_docanchor=&_ct=19&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=913463ba7467fe0617a892eb9fb829c1

Quaternary International. Volume 195, no.12
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/10406182

Another Paper:
Osinski, G. R. H. P. Schwarcz, J. R. Smith, M. R. Kleindienst, A. F.C. Haldemanne and C. S. Churcherf, 2007, Evidence for a circa 200–100 ka meteorite impact in the Western Desert of Egypt. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. vol. 253, no. 3-4, pp. 378-388. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2006.10.039
http://dx.doi.org/

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V61-4MH2C3K-2&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=3a9ede3c568dda82d7baecd87e247d48

Volume 278, Issues 1-2, Pages 1-142 (15 February 2009) http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/0012821X
Source: Paul Heinrich, LA, USA

2009 PAH Asteroid Calendar-Goldstone NASA

Image of the asteroid Gaspra-NASA
2009 PHA (Potentially Hazardous Asteroid) Asteroid Calendar
Goldstone Asteroid Schedule
Upcoming Goldstone Observations
Last update: 2009 January 25
Source: http://echo.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroids/goldstone_asteroid_schedule.html

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: ///////////////Asteroid// NeedsAstrometry?// Needs Physical Observations? //Threat? //Schedule Notes
2009 Feb 7- 8 //2006 AS2 //No// Yes// PHA// Also scheduled at Arecibo.
2009 Feb 10, 13 //1999 AQ10// No //Yes// PHA //Also scheduled at Arecibo.
2009 Mar-Apr 2008 //SV11// Yes //Yes //PHA //Also requested at Arecibo.
2009 Jun// (136617) 1994 CC// Not yet// Yes //PHA //Astrometry needed in 2009 just before closest approach
2009 Jun// 2001 FE90// Yes //Yes// PHA//Astrometry needed in 2009 just before closest approach
2009 Sep// 2000 CO101// Yes// Yes// PHA
2009 Sep// (152664) 1998 FW4 //Yes //Yes// PHA
2009 Oct// (68216) 2001 CV26 //Yes //Yes //PHA //GOLDSTONE MAY BE OFFLINE FOR MAINTENANCE
2009 Oct// (159402) 1999 AP10 //Yes //Yes //GOLDSTONE MAY BE OFFLINE FOR MAINTENANCE