LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2008 January Signature Natural History #5000  / 

48333

SIKHOTE-ALIN - A WEIGHTY INDIVIDUAL

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:3,375.00 USD Estimated At:4,000.00 - 5,000.00 USD
SIKHOTE-ALIN - A WEIGHTY INDIVIDUAL
<B>SIKHOTE-ALIN - A WEIGHTY INDIVIDUAL</B></I><BR> <I>Iron, coarse octahedrite<BR>Paseka, Primorskiy Kray, Siberia, Russia</B></I><BR>One of the most terrifying natural phenomena ever experienced occurred at 10:30 am on February 12, 1947. The largest meteorite shower since the dawn of civilization fell on the Sikhote-Alin mountains in the Maritime Territory of Siberia; an enormous fireball brighter than the sun exploding at an altitude of 5 km. More than sixty tons of material was hurled onto the snowy terrain, devastating most of the mountain forest, but miraculously no people were hurt. There are two types of Sikhote-Alin meteorite: smooth, gently-sculpted pieces that travelled interdependently to earth, and jagged shrapnel-like pieces resulting from the low altitude explosion. The large piece offered here is of the second type; its metallic surface veined with ridges and texture, and impressed all over with thumbprint-like regmaglypts caused by burning and melting during the meteorites fiery descent to Earth. Displayed on a custom metal stand, it measures 5? x 5 x 3 inches, and weighs in at a hefty 3333.86 grams (7.34 pounds).<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Requires 3rd Party Shipping (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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