By Mary Agnes Welch
Odessa American
MONAHANS -- The day after a rock the size of a grapefruit crashed to the
ground near a group of children on Sunday evening, Monahans police found what they believe
is a second meteorite.
The first "meteorite" landed in a vacant lot in north Monahans
about 30 feet from where a group of boys were playing basketball.
The impact, at around 7 p.m., was preceded by a loud boom that was heard in
many parts of West Texas, including Odessa, Midland and Crane.
Witnesses also said they saw an object streak across the sky prior to the
noise.?MDNM? Some said the object split in two as it descended from the northeast.
Jim Cothern of Odessa was walking his dog down Lyndale Drive when he saw the
flash. He said he continued walking for about two minutes before hearing the sonic boom,
which he described as being as loud as a nearby rifle shot.
"What had hit my mind was that it might be space junk," said
Cothern.
The second, larger rock was found about 800 feet south of the first, and it
created an indentation in the pavement, said Monahans Police Captain Dave Watts.
"It went down to the caliche," said Watts of the black,
block-shaped rock that weighed two pounds 15 ounces "It looked almost like the
pavement had been reheated."
Both rocks were being kept at the Monahans Police Department. Officials say
they plan to send the rocks to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. for
analysis.
After hearing a description of the rock, Carleton Moore, the director of the
Center for Meteoric Studies at Arizona State University in Tempe, said it was consistent
with a typical iron ore meteorite, called an ordinary chondrite, likely from the asteroid
belt.
Though West Texas isn't normally considered to be a meteor magnet, a huge
iron ore meteorite, weighing roughly 45 pounds, was found near Monahans in 1938.
"Usually when a meteorite like that comes in it breaks up, even though
it's a really hard rock," said Moore. "I'd look for more."
Moore also suggested testing the rock with a household refrigerator magnet,
since most iron ore meteorites attract magnets.
Moore, who estimates the rock to be worth $1,000 or more, said the issue of
ownership is a thorny one, especially if someone finds the meteorite on another's
property.
Both meteorites landed on city owned property, according to Watts.
Watts said the families of the children who found the rock have expressed a
desire to see their find put on display.
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