They will also purchase other specimens from the incident

Last Saturday, the recent meteor shower witnessed over the US-Canada border generated much excitement amongst scientists and meteor enthusiasts. As a result, the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum is offering a reward of $25,000 for the first person who delivers a giant space rock from the shower, making it a riveting opportunity for anyone interested in meteorites.

Interestingly, the fireball was witnessed over Maine and New Brunswick, with sonic booms reported in Calais, Maine. NASA also detected multiple meteorites falling through the sky, a rare occurrence. The Museum is offering a reward for the first one-kilogram specimen found from the event, and appointments must be made with Al Falster, the research lab technologist, for testing.

In a note shared on the Museum’s Facebook Page, they said,

“In addition to the reward, the Museum will purchase any additional specimen found. “Depending upon the type of meteorite this is,” said Darryl Plat, Chair of the Meteorite Division at the Museum, “illustrations could easily be worth their weight in gold.”

The Museum Offers to Buy Additional Specimens Found, Alongside the $25k Reward

The Museum offers a reward for discovering a particular meteorite and is willing to purchase any extra uncovered specimens. Darryl Plat explained that specimens could be worth a significant amount depending on the type of meteorite found.

NASA has indicated that people can anticipate recovering meteorites within a one-mile-wide strewn field that extends from just north of Waite, Maine, to the Canadian border over Canoose, New Brunswick. The best chance of discovering specimens is to the west of Canoose, spanning the border.

It’s important to note that there is a cost due to specimen preparation, and results from testing will be available within five to ten business days. The Museum has also warned that specimens exhibiting advanced botanical matter are not from this fireball event, so it’s crucial to ensure that the submitted samples are legitimate.

Overall, this is an exciting opportunity for anyone interested in astronomy, meteorite or just looking to make some extra cash. The reward offered by the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum is a testament to the significance of these meteorites, and it will be fascinating to see what specimens are brought forward for testing.

Four Tests to Identify a Meteorite

Meteorites, also known as rocks from outer space, are rarer rare than you might think. Most people will find neat-looking porous rocks and assume they have found a meteorite, but often they’ve found slag, chert, or pyrite. Luckily, the University of Alberta has some meteorite experts who have outlined preliminary tests anyone can conduct to tell the difference between space rocks and impostor rocks from Earth.

Four tests to screen for meteorites:

1. Check if the specimen feels unusually heavy for its size.For example, many meteorites (typically iron ones) are dense and feel weightier than most Earth rocks.
2. Test the specimen’s magnetism using a standard fridge magnet.Nearly all meteorites contain iron-nickel metal and attract magnets easily.
3. Check your specimen for holes or bubbles in the specimen.An actual meteorite will not have any gaps or bubbles at all. If there are gaps or bubbles, it is likely slag or some other stony matter.
4. Examine the outer layer of the specimen for a thin, black, eggshell-like crust.This is because when a meteor falls through Earth’s atmosphere, the rock’s outer surface melts, forming what’s known as a fusion crust.

If your rock passes all these tests, you might have yourself a meteorite. You can watch the University of Alberta’s “How To Spot a Meteorite” video below for more information, then use the Meteorite Reporting Systemto fill out a report and upload photos for an expert to look at.

What to do if you think you have discovered a meteorite:

You may believe you have unearthed a genuine meteorite after conducting the four steps outlined in the video above. In that case, click here to use the Meteorite Reporting System.

You can complete a report and upload photos to be reviewed by an expert. Then, should your rock appear to be the real thing, you will be contacted immediately.

Report a Meteorite

Exciting Facts About Meteors & Meteorites

Meteors have fascinated humans for centuries and have been the subject of many myths and legends. Here are some additional facts to add to your knowledge about meteors:

Although most meteors are no larger than a grain of sand, they can travel up to 70 km/s (156,000 mph).

This incredible speed causes meteors to ignite and create the beautiful streaks of light we see in the night sky. However, more giant meteors can threaten Earth if they collide with our planet. The impact of a meteor can be devastating, as evidenced by the meteor that struck Earth millions of years ago and caused the extinction of the dinosaurs.

Despite this risk, studying meteors can provide insight into the origins of our solar system and the universe. As a result, NASA and other space agencies have launched missions to collect samples from meteors and study their composition. Additionally, observing meteor showers can be a fun and awe-inspiring experience for amateur astronomers and stargazers alike.

When a meteor enters the Earth’s atmosphere, it is heated up by friction with the air, causing it to glow and produce a streak of light in the sky.

This streak of light the meteor produces is commonly known as a shooting star or a meteorite. The meteor’s size determines the streak’s brightness, with more giant meteors creating more intense and longer-lasting streaks.

Interestingly, most meteors burn up completely before they reach the Earth’s surface. However, some larger meteors can survive the fiery journey through the atmosphere and impact the Earth’s surface, causing a crater. These impact craters can range in size from a few meters to hundreds of kilometers in diameter and can provide valuable insights into the planet’s geological history.

The study of impact craters has helped scientists understand how the Earth has evolved and has even shed light on the possibility of life on other planets. So the next time you see a shooting star, remember that it’s a beautiful natural phenomenon and a window into the fascinating world of planetary science.

Some meteors survive the journey through the atmosphere and hit the ground, known as meteorites.

Meteorites can be classified into three main types:

• Iron meteorites consist primarily of iron and nickel and are believed to be the cores of tiny planets that were destroyed during the formation of our solar system.
• Stony meteorites: These are made up of silicate minerals and can be further classified into two subtypes: chondrites and achondrites. Chondrites are the most common type of meteorite and contain small, spherical particles called chondrules. On the other hand, Achondrites do not contain chondrules and are believed to have originated from the crust or mantle of a larger parent body.
• Stony-iron meteorites are a mix of iron/nickel and silicate minerals and are believed to be the boundary between the core and mantle of a destroyed planet.

Studying meteorites can provide valuable insights into the early solar system and the formation of planets. In addition, many scientists believe meteorites played a crucial role in delivering water and organic compounds to Earth, eventually leading to life’s development.

Meteor showers occur when the Earth passes through the debris left behind by a comet or asteroid, causing multiple meteors to be visible in the sky.

Meteor showers are a spectacular sight to behold and have fascinated astronomers and stargazers for centuries. Here are some additional facts about meteor showers that you may find interesting:

• The number of visible meteors during a shower can range from just a few to hundreds per hour, depending on the shower’s intensity and the observer’s location.
• Some meteor showers are associated with a specific comet, such as the Perseids with Comet Swift-Tuttle. In contrast, others are associated with an asteroid, such as the Geminids with the asteroid 3200 Phaethon.
• Meteor showers can occur at any time of the year, but the most well-known and popular ones include the Perseids in August, the Leonids in November, and the Geminids in December.
• To observe a meteor shower, it is best to find a dark location away from city lights, lie on a blanket or chair, and look up at the sky. Be patient and allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness, and you may be rewarded with a breathtaking display of shooting stars.
• The Perseid meteor shower, which occurs every August, is one of