Rocky Road
Every meteorite follows a long and winding path before it reaches Earth. But some of them follow more fascinating paths after they get here.
An example is the Wichita meteorite -- a 320-pound piece of iron and nickel that traveled around Texas during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Because such chunks of metal are rare, the meteorite was revered by several Texas Indian tribes, including the Osage, Wichita, and Comanche. One trader reported that the Comanche rubbed their bodies against it to cure illnesses. There are also reports that Comanche leaders held their most important meetings around the meteorite in a secret cave until the cave collapsed. The Comanche spent two years digging it out and moving it to a rock ledge, where artist George Catlin may have painted a picture of it in 1834.
Traders pilfered the rock in 1856 and moved it to San Antonio. Later it was moved to the Texas Capitol in Austin. When the building burned down in 1881, the meteorite was pulled from the ashes and stored in a warehouse.
It was part of the Texas exhibition at the St. Louis world's fair in 1904, and the Texas centennial celebration in Austin in 1936.
A few pieces of the Wichita meteorite have been chipped off and sent to scientists and museums around the world. But the bulk of the meteorite -- about 225 pounds of it -- is on display at the Texas Memorial Museum in Austin.
Script by Damond Benningfield, Copyright 2004
For more skywatching tips, astronomy news, and much more, read StarDate magazine.
|
Contact | About | Friends of McDonald | Sign up for Sky Tips
