MEETING MINUTES
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I. Call To Order:
Meeting called to order at 8:18 p.m. by President Tom Whitney at the Amherst College observatory. (This was a first... starting late due to car problems for the president)!
II. Old Business:
None.
II. Minutes of Last Meeting:
Tom Petray gave the secretary's report that the minutes of the last club business meeting of July 9, 2010, are available online at the 5As website. Click on 'Meeting Minutes.'
IV. New Business:
Tom Whitney asked if there was any new business. UPCOMING CLUB EVENTS and INFORMATION – Tom Whitney mentioned several upcoming events coming from the club’s online calendar. Tom announced Peter Scherff presenting on meteorites tonight and Moon Day tomorrow at A2Z Science. Kevin provided details on the Mt. Greylock Star Party tomorrow evening. Tom also announced the Conjunction to be held on August 20-21, August 27 Peter Scherff hosts the club at 7 p.m, Arunah Hill days on September 3-5, and Tom Petray presenting to the club at the September 10 meeting. John Davis announced the STARS club picnic at 3 p.m. on August 28 PRESENTATION – “Meteorites” presented by Peter Scherff, 5As club member Peter first found out about meteorites at the East Coast Gem and Mineral Show several years ago. He took the audience on a visual tour of some of the interesting items that got him started in collecting meteorites. Examples of items displayed at the show were high-nickel content meteorites e.g., from Gebel Kamil impact site, meteors embedded in coins, meteors with special forms such as holes, and meteorite books to collect at Rockman and Stone Lady. The northwest Africa meteorite rush brought down the price of meteorites for U S meteor hunters, but the rush is about to end. Tower Crystals has planetesimal remnants from the birth of the solar system and earth impact glasses or rocks, e.g., Libyan-desert tektite glass similar to glass worn by Egyptian pharaohs. Peter has an interest in ancient people mentioning meteorites. Peter showed an “oriented” meteorite meaning that the meteor stayed in a particular position as it flew through the atmosphere forming a cone shape and a Cecotyalene meteorite that was broken apart due to air pressure in the atmosphere. He also passed around a Campo del Cielo or “Field of heaven”(Argentina) meteorite that must have been watched by humans as it fell to the earth. Questions? How do you know if a meteorite is a lunar meteorite? We know based on its chemical composition because we have already measured lunar isotope ratio from lunar rocks. …Martian meteorite? In a similar way for lunar, but we also measure the trapped Martian atmosphere to identify Martian meteorites. Man and Meteorites and Cosmic Debris are two books that mention human interaction with and reaction to meteorites. The meeting ended at 9:27 p.m. and those attending visited and enjoyed refreshments. Fourteen members and guests were present. Respectfully submitted, Tom Petray, Secretary
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Tom Whitney, President (413)-256-6234 / Kevin Collins, Vice-President (413)-586-2395
Updated: 9/7/2010, c. Kevin Collins 2010