Meteor/Asteroid Day

On June 30 some people will be looking toward the skies as it is National Meteor Watch Day and International Asteroid Day.?There are over one million asteroids/meteors in space.?They could potentially strike the earth, but scientists have only discovered one percent of them.?For starters, let’s look at what meteors are. Have you ever looked up in search of shooting stars in the sky??That’s just a fancy name for a meteorite! These ‘shooting’ or ‘falling’ stars come from the solar system and are actually broken fragments of asteroids.

Fun fact — these fragments can take millions of years before they hit Earth.

Meteors/Asteroids are also known as ‘space rocks’ since they fall on Earth from space. When these rocks enter our atmosphere, they leave a glowing streak in the sky, which makes them very noticeable. Meteors were also defined as “solid objects moving in interplanetary space” in 1961 by the International Astronomical Union.

Meteors became the study of many astronomers such as Dennis Olmsted who began analyzing meteor showers in order to understand their origins. In 1866, scientists like Hubert A. Newton began to make predictions regarding the next meteor shower.?Studying meteors is essential to determine the solar system’s history.

Meteors have people intrigued about their size and weight. Some are huge and weigh over 60 tons, while others are as small as pebbles that we can hold in our hands. In 1920 the largest meteorite that hit our planet was found in Namibia. The space rock was nine feet across, weighed 60 tons, and was made out of an alloy of iron and nickel. Some meteors also fall to Earth with a dramatic entry that often causes destruction and death. These meteors are known as fireballs. The craters we see on the moon were caused by meteors!

METEORS/ASTEROIDS TIMELINE

1807 Under Observation -Professor Benjamin Silliman investigates a meteorite that fell in Connecticut.

1833 Calm Before the Storm?-A meteor storm of thousands of meteors occurs across the eastern US

1954 The Fall?-An eight-point meteorite falls on Ann Hodges’ house in Alabama and injures her.

March 22, 1989?4581 Asclepius Passes By -The asteroid Asclepius passes by Earth at a distance of almost 500,000 miles.

March 30, 1989?Scientists Discover the Asteroid??-American astronomers Henry Holt and Norman Thomas discover that Asclepius had passed by the Earth.

2013?Light the Sky?-A fireball hits Russia and injures 1600 people.

2014?“51 Degrees North”??-The science-fiction movie broadly centering on near-Earth objects is released.

2015??First Observance??-International Asteroid Day is celebrated for the first time.

5 FUN FACTS

1 Bright Meteors: The meteors that are brighter than usual are called fireballs.

2 Greek Origins: The Greek word for “meteor” means “suspended in air”

3 The Extinction of Dinosaurs: The extinction of dinosaurs was caused by an eight-mile-long meteor.

4 A Mass of Falling Meteoric Material: According to NASA’s estimations, 48.5 tons of meteoritic material falls on Earth daily

5 Old Rocks: Meteors consist of the solar system’s oldest rocks.

IT DEVELOPS AN INTEREST IN ASTRONOMY

A For many youngsters, this day serves the purposes of developing interest in astronomy and the study of stars and meteors

B Days such as these make people curious and often become the building blocks for a career in which the topic of space is studied in depth

C There are so many things in our universe that we are unaware of, so dedicating special days to these wonders gives everyone a chance to realize how beautiful the world is and why we must take care of it.

If you come across a meteorite in your backyard or wherever.?There is a certain way you should and should not handle meteorites.?While you’re handling the meteorite you must use clean gloves, tongs, or new aluminum foil.?Common household aluminum foil is a reasonable and inexpensive means to handle meteorites.?Tear a fresh piece of foil and pick up the meteorite with it.?You may keep the foil wrapped around the meteorite indefinitely.

WHAT TO DO

Keep the meteorite clean and dry.?Placing it in a zip-lock bag to offer a measure of protection against atmospheric humidity.?Moisture absorption packages are beneficial as well.?While you choose to use one of these, place it in the bag but keep it out of direct contact with the meteorite.?Place a dessicant package in the bag, while keeping the meteorite wrapped in aluminum foil and sealed.

WHAT NOT TO DO

Try not to handle any freshly fallen meteorites with your bare hands!!?Oil and microbes from your skin will slowly degrade the surface of a meteorite, dulling the fusion crust, contaminating the meteorite, and promoting rust.?The contamination aspect is especially important for carbonaceous meteorites and other uncommon types.

Now I’ve got you thinking.?

What do meteors/asteroids have to do with Ship Audit Pros??

Did you know you could purchase meteorites and have them shipped??Most of you use either FedEx or UPS, but meteorites are shipped USPS domestic and international.?When you ship domestically it usually takes 2 to 3 business days and shipped as USPS Priority Mail.?International orders are shipped by USPS First Class and Priority Mail International and take an average of 6-10 days for delivery.?

Here at Ship Audit Pros, we offer answers to the above questions using our FREE Instant Analysis Tool to see if you are getting the best rate you believe you are getting.?There is no cost to you to run an analysis.?You simply input your info and our program does the rest for you.?There is no hassle in paying someone to do the job for you.?If you are getting a good rate then you can be sure, but if you’re not we can help you ask for Cheaper Rates!!

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~Manda Sadler