Mining Falling Stars

[usernameguy]

For the first time, astronomers have predicted a falling star. 2008 TC3, a 3 meter asteroid, was spotted less than a day before it it exploded over the Sudan in the early morning twilight.

Asteroids like this hit the Earth on a monthly basis. This particular one was spotted as it was at magnitude 19. Thanks to new survey telescopes coming online

Comments

[tongodeon]

Meteorites are common enough on earth that you don't need to track where they fall to find them. There are people who already make a living doing this. They show up at gem shows a lot. I used to own a really nice palm-sized nickel/iron meteorite - it cost me $35 or something - but I don't know where it went.

This has actually been going on for thousands of years. Archaeologists were baffled when they found Inuits using iron spear points until they realized that they weren't refining the metal - they got it from found meteorites.

[usernameguy]

Was I wrong about there being pieces worth a lot of money? Maybe, like, asteroids with a certain composition?

[tongodeon]

It depends on the composition. Tektites are cheap. Iron meteorites are more expensive. The really expensive rocks are martian or lunar meteorites - ejecta from remote collisions that end up on earth - are extremely rare and expensive. I think I remember a few bizarro meteorites with emeralds in them or something, but the regular everyday meteorites are cheap.

[matrushkaka]

Good to see you posting!

[usernameguy]

FWIW, someone actually found the mentioned asteroid/meteroid:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16635-found-pieces-of-space-rock-once-seen-heading-for-earth.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=space