Point taken... Guess I opened a can of worms on that one... ;)
I'm aware of the likelihood that two small meteorites so close to one
another being paired is small, but it just simply seemed too much of a
coincidence. Since so many scientists say I'm wrong I guess I have to go
with that right? Maybe... I'll just have to study more... ;)
Regardless of all that, it's a phenomenal set of events for two homes
only 1.4 miles from one another, to be smashed by two meteorites over a
decade apart. That's astronomical!!!
Thanks for the input Rob, as always it's appreciated!
Regards,
Eric
On 3/7/2010 11:26 PM, Rob Matson wrote:
Hi Eric,
To answer your question:
"...Let me counter your theory with one question: Why should a
meteorite stream have orbital characteristics that are synchronous
with earth's day, or more specifically earth's geography?..."
It shouldn't and it doesn't have to have anything in common other
than be in the same place at the same time.
I guess my point is that if you're going to choose any two meteorite
falls to be from the same parent body, you wouldn't pick Wethersfield.
The odds are already astronomical against recovering two falls from
the same precursor body; placing an additional constraint that those
two falls have to be in the same country (let alone the same town)
removes any chance of it happening in our lifetime.
There are countless variables to consider, it's not impossible...
Yes, not mathematically impossible. But so improbable that it's
really not worth considering.
The second piece could have had an 11 year elliptical orbit which
placed it in that exact spot 11 years later... ;)
Since the two falls occurred 11 years 7 months apart, the only way
they could be from the same coherent meteoroid stream would be if
the stream's orbit happened to cross earth's at two locations. This
is not unprecented (Halley's Comet is responsible for both the Eta
Aquariids in May and the Orionids in October), but it's more likely
for a stream to cross earth's orbit at only one point. In such a
single nodal crossing case, paired falls from a coherent stream
would have to be at the same time of year.
Note that there is no requirement for the orbital period to be
11.58 years. It could be 5.79 years, or 3.86 years, or shorter.
11.58 years divided by the stream's period just has to be a whole
number. And if the stream is large enough and old enough to be
dispersed all along its orbit, then the orbital period can be
anything. --Rob
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