Meteorite falls on Argentina, casualty reported.

Pato2747 · #1 (**permalink**) 07-April-2008, 04:45 AM

I don't have a lot of information just yet, but at 11 PM (GMT -03:00), a meteorite fell on a soy planatation in Zárate, Argentina, killing one person according to the national news station "Crónica TV".

The zone is being "raked" intensely, looking for this meteor. There was a lot of panicking because two nuclear energy plants were dangerously near the impact site.

A rough translation made by me, this is a press release on an argentinian news website:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nuevo Diario Web

Urgent: Meteorite impacts in Zárate
The gigantic fireball impacted at 23:00 at Sunday in a soy plantation, after being seen on Entre Ríos (Province at North-West of Argentina), and all the North of the province of Buenos Aires. A casualty has been reported, but it has not been yet oficially confirmed.

After being seen how the meteorite fell by people in Entre Ríos, Campana, Escobar and Zárate, a meteorite fell at 23:00, March 6th, in a field on the Buenos Aires' city of Lima and killed one, according to the news channel "Crónica TV"
The gigantic fireball impacted in a soy plantation near Zárate's industrial park, between Route 9 and road 038, where the habitants were still in shocked after the event, where the zone has been searched extensively, looking for pieces of the meteorite.
The town population had moments of panic, after watching that the meteorite could have impacted on the nuclear power plant which was dangerously near the impact site.

That's the information I have just now. I will edit tomorrow after more information is gathered.

01101001 · #2 (**permalink**) 07-April-2008, 05:11 AM

Quote:

a meteorite fell at 23:00, March 6th, in a field on the Buenos Aires' city of Lima

March 6? Or, today, April 6?

Google Map: Lima, Argentina

Wait. Buenos Aires? Meteors? Curse those bugs! Starship Troopers Join the Mobile Infantry and save the world.

jt-3d · #3 (**permalink**) 07-April-2008, 07:54 AM

Now the odds of being hit by a meteorite are pretty steep. But this person was supposedly out in a field in the middle of the night too? Nah, no way.

01101001 · #4 (**permalink**) 07-April-2008, 12:51 PM

I looked around. Still no news 6 hours later? Anyone heard anything?

(In scanning, I did come across the story, in the "Quirkies" section, of this unfortunate Bosnian whose house has been hit five times by meteorites since November. Belgrade University experts supposedly say the rocks turned over are meteorites. Man 'targeted by aliens'. What are the chances of that being so?)

The Cronica (Argentina) story seems to be PUDO OCASIONAR UNA TRAGEDIA:

Quote:

Un bólido iluminó la noche del domingo el cielo de Entre Ríos e impactó presumiblemente en el centro provincial, provocando un gran estruendo y haciendo temblar la tierra en varios kilómetros a la redonda, según testimonios coincidentes.

A bolide was seen, but I'm not seeing news of a meteorite impact -- beyond "presumable" and they usually turn out not so.

Astronomy Association Observer site, METEORITO SOBRE ENTRE RIOS

Quote:

La AEA informa que en la recorrida que están efectuando miembros de nuestra institucion aun no se ha podido determinar con precisión el lugar del impacto, si lo hubiera.
Cabe acotar que en base a numerosos testimonios se trataría de un bólido de grandes proporciones observado desde diversas localidades de Entre Rios como San Salvador, Villa Elisa, Jubileo, Villa Dominguez y desde la costa del Uruguay.

Google translation:

Quote:

The AEA reports that in the pot undergoing members of our institution still has not been able to determine the precise location of the impact, if any.
It's worth noting that on the basis of numerous testimonies it would be a major [bolide] seen from various locations in Entre Rios as San Salvador, Villa Elisa, Jubilee, Villa Dominguez and from the coast of Uruguay.

mantiss · #5 (**permalink**) 07-April-2008, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pato2747

I don't have a lot of information just yet, but at 11 PM (GMT -03:00), a meteorite fell on a soy planatation in Zárate, Argentina, killing one person according to the national news station "Crónica TV".

The zone is being "raked" intensely, looking for this meteor. There was a lot of panicking because two nuclear energy plants were dangerously near the impact site.

Just because there was a bolide in the sky and someone died outside doesn't mean there is a 1:1 correlation. Anyhow if the man was hit by a meteorite, retrieving the said meteorite should be a "walk in the park" and not having to scour the whole area for a rock.

I mean, there was a bolide over here the other night, and while going to work next day I found a dead raccoon by the roadside...

frankuitaalst · #6 (**permalink**) 07-April-2008, 08:36 PM

I just talked to some people in Argentina with Messenger .
They confirm that there was an incident with a meteor .
People I talked to were people working for the red cross.

JustAFriend · #7 (**permalink**) 07-April-2008, 10:08 PM

I would have to think that a story like that... if true, would make the international news pretty darn quick.

01101001 · #8 (**permalink**) 07-April-2008, 10:25 PM

Cronica:

Quote:

ENTRE RIOS: NO HAY NOVEDADES DEL METEORITO

La búsqueda del meteorito que cayó esta madrugada en Entre Ríos continúa sin novedades, según informaron medios locales.

Desde el diario Uno de la provincia, informaron que la búsqueda se centra entre las localidades de San Salvador y Villaguay, aunque el destello de la bola de fuego llegó a verse desde Paraná.

Google translation:

Quote:

BETWEEN RIOS: NO NEWS OF METEORITO

The search for the meteorite which fell this morning in Entre Rios continues without news, local media reported.

Since the newspaper One of the province, reported that the search is focused between the towns of San Salvador and Villaguay, although the flash of the ball of fire was seen in Parana.

Pato2747 · #9 (**permalink**) 08-April-2008, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 01101001

A bolide was seen, but I'm not seeing news of a meteorite impact -- beyond "presumable" and they usually turn out not so.

It does talk about impact. The actual location of impact is not yet known.

Original:
Un bólido iluminó la noche del domingo el cielo de Entre Ríos e impactó presumiblemente en el centro provincial, provocando un gran estruendo y haciendo temblar la tierra en varios kilómetros a la redonda, según testimonios coincidentes.

Translation:
A bolide iluminated the night at sunday in Entre Ríos and presumably impacted on the provincial center, causing a great noise and causing the ground to shake in many miles across the impact zone, according to many testimonies.

It's not talked about a lot, a top banana from the Enterrian Asociation of Astronomy was interviewed today on Canal 22; the dead guy was On a bike or a motorcycle at the time of impact.

What are the odds of dying due to a meteorite impact, while on a bike? Very very low, I think.

01101001 · #10 (**permalink**) 08-April-2008, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pato2747

It does talk about impact. The actual location of impact is not yet known.

The skeptic in me makes me think it's best to assume there's no impact until the hole in the ground is found. Bolides often convince their observers of impacts that didn't happen.

Until then, great noise and shaking ground is interesting, but just sound waves.

(And was the dead guy impacted and yet no impact has been found? Or, did the noise distract him into an accident?)

Kaptain K · #11 (**permalink**) 08-April-2008, 05:59 AM

Quote:

(And was the dead guy impacted and yet no impact has been found? Or, did the noise distract him into an accident?)

The noise or the light!

01101001 · #12 (**permalink**) 08-April-2008, 03:18 PM

Cronica:

Quote:

HALLAN RESTOS DEL METEORITO

Un grupo de científicos halló una roca del tamaño de un puño y otras cuatro de unos 3 centímetros en la localidad de Colonia Verdú. [...]

Google translation:

Quote:

A group of scientists found a rock the size of a fist and four others of about 3 centimeters in the town of Cologne Verdú.

According to the tests, it is almost ruled out that it was space junk.

Investigators described the five rocks that were tested in magnetisation, which responded positively, and that all have a blackish color typical rubbing produced by the atmosphere upon entering the Earth.

In addition, the remains were described as "fragile", so that the material could have been dispersed into multiple pieces, hampering their search.

The results of laboratory studies will know the exact origin of the rocks, as reported by the Association Entrerriana Astronomy.

So, what sort of noise do fist-sized rocks make when they crash into Earth?

I hope these do turn out to be recovered pieces, and that they can locate more, or even find an impact of a larger piece. There's still hope.

But, I still expect the reported dramatic noise was a sonic boom or booms -- rumbling that observers took to be a large impact. Can't blame them for supposing that. Most people probably don't think of meteors traveling faster than sound.

Asociación Entrerriana de Astronomía:

Quote:

SE HALLARON FRAGMENTOS ROCOSOS DE POSIBLE ORIGEN METEORITICO
martes, 08 de abril de 2008
Informamos que miembros de la AEA habrían encontrado rocas cuyo origen se presume meteorítico. Se trata de una pieza del tamaño de un puño que pesa aproximadamente 700 gr y 4 a 5 piedras pequeñas de unos 3 cm. Todas respondieron positivamente a la imantacion y presentan el típico color negruzco producto del calentamiento de estos objetos en la medida que descienden en la atmósfera y son calentados por la fricción. [...]

Senor Google:

Quote:

We reported that members of the AEA have found rocks whose origin is presumed meteorítico. This is a piece the size of a fist that weighs approximately 700 grams in 4 to 5 small stones about 3 cm. All responded positively to the imantacion and show the typical black color product warming of these objects as it descended into the atmosphere and are heated by friction.
[...]
Tomorrow continue operating with the intent to continue collecting samples with the presence of new members of our institution.
The final confirmation on the alleged extraterrestrial origin of these pieces must be confirmed by laboratory tests and proper observation of specialists. The AEA has already been contacted by professionals interested in cooperating with this investigation

Ilya · #13 (**permalink**) 09-April-2008, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pato2747

.What are the odds of dying due to a meteorite impact, while on a bike? Very very low, I think.

IF you are on a motorcycle when bolid hits somewhere in the vicinity (as opposed to right on top of you), I would say the chances of dying are considerable. Noise and flash could easily make you lose control of the bike.

01101001 · #14 (**permalink**) 10-April-2008, 06:57 PM

Asociación Entrerriana de Astronomía:

Quote:

Meteorito de Entre Ríos: Nuevo Reporte
jueves, 10 de abril de 2008

La Asociación Entrerriana de Astronomía (AEA), informa que el día Martes 8 de Abril nuevamente se hizo presente en la zona donde se produjo la caída de fragmentos meteoríticos. [...]

Google mistranslation:

Quote:

The Entrerriana Astronomy Association (AEA) reports that on Tuesday April 8 was again present in the area where the falling fragments meteoríticos.

[Nice pictures]

With the cooperation of the Provincial Police and locals was carried out by a new rastrillaje entire area Cologne Berduc (Dto. Columbus) and achieved retrieve small pieces of about 3 cm in diameter.

It also took pictures and measurements of the small crater where it was found the largest fragment.

On this occasion, the investigative group was composed of AEA by John Paul Sotera, Milton Blumagen and Gustavo Blettler agronomist.

Still nothing bigger than a fist.

publiusr · #15 (**permalink**) 30-June-2008, 11:15 PM

That would be enough to kill...same with a hailstone.

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