Re: [meteorite-list] Hayabusa Spots Its Asteroid Target
Sorry, Density is 16.65, not 21.02. That's rhenium. Sterling - "Sterling K. Webb" wrote: > Darren, > > Tantalum is the tenth most dense element, > with a density of 21.02 times that of water, > or three times that of iron. __ Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Hayabusa Spots Its Asteroid Target
Darren, Tantalum is the tenth most dense element, with a density of 21.02 times that of water, or three times that of iron. There are others more dense, but they suffer from various disadvantages: low melting point (osmium), danger (plutonium), expense (gold). As you said, one of tantalum's advantages is a clear signature to discount. It is hard (6.5 on the mineral hardness scale). It has a reflectivity of 0.78, and it looks a lot like pewter. Sterling Webb Darren Garrison wrote: > On Thu, 18 Aug 2005 08:16:09 -0700 (PDT), Ron Baalke <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > >the firing of a tantalum pellet into the asteroid at 300 metres per second. > > Why such an exotic material? So that you could find and discount it's > signature in the returned > sample? __ Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Hayabusa Spots Its Asteroid Target
On Thu, 18 Aug 2005 08:16:09 -0700 (PDT), Ron Baalke <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >the firing of a tantalum pellet into the asteroid at 300 metres per second. Why such an exotic material? So that you could find and discount it's signature in the returned sample? __ Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Re: [meteorite-list] Hayabusa Spots Its Asteroid Target
> > this is pretty exciting, isn't it! > Just think we could match a meteorite!! > It's not a matter of IF we match a meteorite with the Hayabusa returned samples, but WHICH meteorites match up. Ditto with Stardust when it returns its samples next January. Ron Baalke __ Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
