Lorton Meteorite Fall: Meteorite Smashes Through Doctors Roof! [VIDEO]

Well, it’s official. The newest meteorite fall in the USA happened on Monday evening on January 18th.

A 308g stone chondrite meteorite crashed through the roof and ceiling of a dental office in Lorton VA. This is the first meteorite fall in the USA since the Whetstone Mountains meteorite fall just outside Tucson Arizona last year. And since this new meteorite fall hit a manmade object/building it is known as a hammer stone. Lorton Meteorite Photos | Video On WUSA9 | Photo of Robert Ward with roofing shingle and plywood with damage caused by the meteorite as it smashed into the office building..

(Note: Not all meteorites from this fall are hammer stones. Only those that actually impacted a man-made structure are considered hammers.)

If You Think You Have a Possible Meteorite Report It Here – Email Us or Call – 760-522-2152
We will verify it’s authenticity and possibly purchase the meteorite or help find you a buyer.
Please include any photos of the stone(s), coordinates etc with your report. Please photograph the suspect meteorite “before” picking it up from it’s location. Record the spot where you found it with a GPS if you have one and Email Us photos or video if you have it.

Hammers are very rare in the meteorite world and are highly prized by meteorite collectors. The likelihood of a meteorite striking an object much less a building with people inside only adds to the history and mystique of the newest meteorite fall in the United States. The ceiling tiles, roofing materials and the carpet where the meteorite struck are also very valuable. One meteorite that fell in Georgia (Claxton) struck a mailbox. That mailbox sold for $82,750.00 at Bonhams’s auction.

———–Updates———–

UPDATE: 02/19/2010 Ebay! HACK!

The Ebay auction of the Lorton meteorite has been removed, and according to some posts on the Meteorite List this was a HACK by an unautorized person to attempt to sell the meteorite which supposedly is in the possession of lawyers representing whom is unclear.

Here’s an excerpt from the Met-List post:

Hello Listers

The post of the Lorton meteorite on eBay was a hack into someones email account on ebay. eBay contacted me with this email. Also, I called up the Smithsonian today and spoke with a women on the phone and she had told me that the meteorite is no longer in the possession of the Museum and that the meteorite is with the Lawyers that are dealing with the case.

eBay sent this message to.
Your registered name is included to show this message originated from eBay. Learn more.
MC010 Account Security Communication Partner Warning -

Hello,

Our records show that you recently contacted or received messages from XXXXXX  through eBay’s messaging system. This account was recently found to have been accessed.

Our records show that you recently contacted or received messages from XXXXXXXX through eBay’s messaging system. This account was recently found to have been accessed by an unauthorized third party, who may have used the account in an attempt to defraud other members.

We’ve taken action to restore this account to the original owner, but wanted to let you know to be suspicious of any communication you may have received from them. Nothing is wrong with your account at this time – this message is just being sent as a precaution. If you have received any messages from XXXXXXXX that appears suspicious, please feel free to forward them to us at spoof at ebay.com for review.

I was told by my source that there was no knowledge of the meteorite being anywhere other than in the possession of the Smithsonian.

This case is far from over…

UPDATE: 02/19/2010 Ebay!

Apparently someone has listed an auction for the Lorton meteorite on Ebay for a whopping $115,000.00 Buy-It-Now price. Starting bid is set at $94,400.00

As far as I know, the Lorton meteorite is still at the Smithsonian.

I just got off the phone with a source that assures me that the Lorton meteorite is still in the Smithsonian’s possession. So Either my source is mistaken, the person listing the meteorite is potentially committing fraud IF they do not have possession of and rightfully own the meteorite,  or the Smithsonian is selling the Lorton meteorite on Ebay, which is extremely doubtful if not impossible.

I certainly hope this is a hoax, but even if it is, and the meteorite is truly still in the Smithsonian’s possession, then the person who listed it for sale on Ebay is potentially breaking the law by listing something they do not own.

When I started writing this update, only 65 people had viewed the auction, now the counter in the auction shows 103 views.

UPDATE: 01/29/2010 MyFoxDC

Ownership of Meteorite in Question

OUTRAGEOUS STATEMENTS & OPINIONS NOT NEWS!

Listen very carefully to the reporter’s tone, and blatantly opinionated comment regarding the landowners wanting the stone that (according to US law) they rightfully own. The reporters comments are extremely unprofessional and should never have been made. This was LIVE! television, and is making the landowners out to be the bad guys in this. It’s an outrageous comment and the professional integrity of the reporters and the station who allow this type of behavior to happen should be questioned and motives measured. At the very least it is irresponsible totally uncalled for. This could influence public opinion by saying such things and paints the landowners in a negative light, such that they may be viewed as “the bad guys” in this whole ordeal.

I’ll leave it to you decide what you think of this type of behavior on the part of both of the reporters. News is supposed to be NEWS and NOT opinion. If she wants to be talk show host then that is perhaps the direction she should take. This is a very touchy issue with the Smithsonian, the landowners and the doctors who may have not known the law concerning meteorite ownership.

People should write in to the station to make them aware of your feeling regarding the issue, no matter your opinion.

UPDATE: 01/28/2010 Washington Post Article – Ownership battle brews over Virginia meteorite

UPDATE: 01/28/2010 – There’s been an important development in the Lorton meteorite fall. Though I am not at liberty to divulge any specific information as of yet, this development is significantly historic in nature. We have new information on the stone, the ownership and a possible battle for the possession of the stone.

As most people in the meteorite world already know, the United States law is clear and states the landowner owns any meteorite that lands on their property.  Who Owns Meteorites?

“…In the United States, ownership of a meteorite goes to the landowner. A person who owns land is entitled to all natural deposits which occur there – including a meteorite…” SOURCE – Geology.com

Meteorite Ownership – “…English common law, from which the law in
former British colonies including the United States evolved,
provides that meteorites are the landowner’s property; buried
meteorites might be part of the mineral rights. Find reporting
is not mandatory…” SOURCE – PDF: Law of Ownership and Control of Meteorites

UPDATE: Meteorite Hunters Steve Arnold and Mike Hankey are on the hunt in Lorton! The Lorton meteorite is officially an ordinary chondrite meteorite, but no official classification of type has been announced as of yet. The 308g meteorite that crashed through the Lorton doctors office was donated to the Smithsonian by the landlord of the building. Meteorites USA has a brief mention in an article on the Baltimore Sun website, though it seems like from the way the article reads I am in Lorton, I am not. The article states that people should be on the lookout for meteorites – Meteorite hunters converge on area after fall in Va.

UPDATE: Fragmentation & The Likelihood of Multiple Pieces Being Found

Some people have expressed doubt whether the Lorton meteor fireball has produced multiple meteorites on the ground. Some have suggested it’s possible that the 308g stone that struck the dental office is the only stone and that it could be the only stone ever found. While this is entirely possible, it’s not likely. Given the number of reports of fragmentation, and the numerous professional hunters that are in Lorton searching for other pieces, it’s likely other pieces will be found. Below is a list of excerpts from eyewitness accounts suggesting that there are multiple stones on the ground.

EXCERPT SOURCE: Baltimore Sun – MarylandWeather Blog

The twilight sky was very clear. The fireball left a long contrail with a large zigzag in the middle. Within a second I watched it become brighter and split into many small pieces which also had smoke trails behind them. The large remaining trail disapated within about 2 minutes. I suspect there may be many pieces out there to find, since there seemed to be a dozen or more pieces split off as the object exploded high in the sky.

Yes, I saw this too from Winchester, VA while looking SE. It appeared to “burst” about 4 inches (from my vantage point) above the horizon. A burst of green and white, almost like a fireworks display pointed towards Earth.

I saw this as I was traveling north on I-81 near Staunton, VA. It came from behind me from the soutwest to northeast. As it went overhead, it broke into several pieces. It was very bright and appeared to be in flames as it broke apart. It was much brighter than a typical meteorite. Very impressive.

Then, my girlfriend saw something and I looked up and saw a bright white object with white streams coming straight down in front of us from about 30 or 45 degrees or so up from the horizon

We did count more than one bright glowing circle in the squiggly trail. What were those — pieces breaking off and flaming out?

The meteor was heading straight down, towards the south, breaking up into 4-6 pieces just before it vanished about 15-20 degrees above the horizon.

Saw an object come down from the sky perpendicular with a trail of light and then a few seconds later it blew up like a firecracker(bright light) then it disappeared and left a trail of smoke,45 deg angle to the right.

the meteor streamed slightly to the left and then below to the left of the moon, where it seemed to break into several pieces.

The object was first observed about 60 degrees above the horizon and it broke up at about 15 degrees or so.

It fell from about 80 degrees to 60 degrees, from west to east but mainly toward the horizon. It lasted 2 or more seconds and looked like there were pieces coming from it.

I looked up and saw it travel across the sky from about 70 deg vertical to about 50 deg towards the due west from my vantage point. It initially was a whole fireball then split into several smaller pieces before flaming out.

The meteor was very bright and fell straight down. It appeared to break apart and burn up.

I thought it was a firework because it seemed so close, but it didn’t have the big shower of sparks

about 6:45 pm and happened to look up towards the south eastern sky and saw it just before it broke up and left the long lasting trail

I saw it around 5:40 pm. It looked like it broke into two parts before it disappeared.

Double Fall? – Meteoroid Stream? Possible?

UNCONFRIMED: I’ve read a few other reports of people saying they saw another fireball (smaller) approximately 30 minutes after the main fireball which produced the Lorton Hammer Stone.

VIDEOS

UPDATE: Video

UPDATE:

UPDATE: Video – Fox 5 DC MyFox

UPDATE: Meteorite Q&A – Washington Post – Meteorite Hits Doctors Office

UPDATE: Meteorite Men’s Steve Arnold is in Lorton filming for an upcoming episode of the Science Channel series.

Meteorite Smashes Roof

The meteorite that fell on Lorton is probably not alone. It probably has baby brothers and sisters. On Monday there was a huge fireball seen across 6 or more states by hundreds of eye witnesses. Where there’s one, there is a high likelihood that there are more somewhere in the area, and there might even be a big brother to the 308g Lorton meteorite hammer stone.

NOTE: For a good understanding of how meteorites fall and the strewnfields they create you can read my article title “What is a Meteorite Strewnfield?

There is no doubt many meteorite hunters and scientists are heading toward Lorton, VA. With the Meteorite Men series premier that happened last night and the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show in Tucson AZ starting around the 1st of February, this certainly promises to be a very exciting time in the meteorite world.

The hunt is on!

Residents of Lorton & Surrounding Area Are Encouraged To Report Strange Black Rocks

People should be on the lookout for black rocks, with fusion crust. The interiors of the Lorton meteorite is light gray in color. Some stones may have hit other objects. Meteorites also contain iron so most are attracted to a magnet.

Check yards, roads, sidewalks, baseball fields, farm fields, and roofs. Meteorites from this fall can be anywhere and will most likely be centered around the area of the Dental office unless that marks the spot of the far end of the meteorite strewnfield.

If You Have a Suspected Meteorite Report It Here

Interesting Factoid: Lorton VA is 7.8 miles from Franconia VA.
Franconia is also the name of a meteorite strewnfield in AZ

“…Professional meteorite hunter Steve Arnold says he is on his way to Virginia. “I hope to find some other pieces,” he said in email to the WeatherBlog. Arnold, TV’s “Meteorite Man,” also took part in the apparently unsuccessful hunt for fragments of the meteor that fell somewhere along the Mason-Dixon line north of Baltimore last July 6. That fall was accompanied by a sonic boom that startled residents in Maryland and Pennsylvania…”

Links SOURCE: NewsFeedReasearcher.com

1. FOXNews.com – Meteorite Crashes Through Virginia Doctor’s Office
2. Va. Doctor’s Office Hit By Meteorite – wjz.com
3. Maryland Weather: Monday’s meteor fell on Lorton, Va. doctors’ office – Sun reporter Frank Roylance blogs on meteorology – baltimoresun.com
4. Space rock of doom attacks doctor | Metro.co.uk
5. Doctor’s office hit by meteorite – wtop.com
6. The Canadian Press: Meteorite punches hole through roof in doctor’s office in small US town; no injuries
7. Meteorite Crashes Through Virginia Doctor’s Office : Discovery News
8. Doctor’s Office Hit By Meteorite
9. Meteorite smashes through doctor’s office roof. | Gather
10. Meteorite punches hole in doctor’s office – dailypress.com
11. Meteorite Strikes Doctor’s Office » Popular Fidelity » Unusual Stuff
12. Meteorite fall in Virginia: Meteorite hunters converge on area after fall in Va. – baltimoresun.com
13. Space Rock Smashes Into Doctor’s Office | NBC Washington
14. Meteorite Crashes into Offices of Dr Marc Gallini and Dr Frank Ciampi « Vitals Spotlight – We Give the Doctor an Exam
15. Virginia Doctor’s Office Hit by Meteorite; No Injuries Reported | ABC 7 News
16. Meteorite Crashes Into Dentist Office – Baltimore News Story – WBAL Baltimore

More to come…

——————Earlier Post Below————————

PHOTOS: Lorton Meteorite Photos Possble meteorite fragments from the new Lorton meteorite fall.

Monday’s meteor fell on Lorton, Va. dental office

UPDATE: According to a poster on the Baltimore Sun website:

“…Posted by: Carolina Gomez | January 20, 2010 8:09 PM

Has there been a meteorite fall in Lorton Virginia? Unconfirmed reports are a meteorite fell through the roof of a doctors office in Lorton and smashed into 3 pieces, and scattered debris throughout the interior of the office on Monday a little after 5:30pm. Read the story here:

Meteorite Hits Lorton Doctors Office

On Monday we reported there were massive numbers of meteor fireball sighting all over the area. The fireball was seen from at least 6 states!

Twilight Meteor Reported Monday in Maryland

We’re working to see if this is confirmed.

Meteorite List Posts

What’s Up Doc? – Darren Garrison

Lorton Virginia Fall on MLK – Rob Matson

Baltimore Sun Reports: Comments

“…Posted by: John Leon | January 20, 2010 6:27 PM

I may know where it landed! The time matches perfectly. My doctor’s office is located on Route 1 in Lorton, Virginia. He told me today that while seeing patients Monday evening (they close at 6pm), they were terrified by a boom, went to exam room 2 from which a patient had left minutes before, and found a hole through the roof, ceiling, and a sizzling “rock” – about the size of a mango – which had torn into the carpeted concrete floor! He thought it had made one of Tuesday evening’s 11 o’clock news shows. Utterly amazing!…” SOURCE – Maryland Weather