Hi Greg and List, Wow, I am going to miss out. Galactic Stone & Ironworks was supposed to have a booth at NEAF this year, but some serious medical problems prevented us from attending this year.
There will be some Galactic Stone meteorites in attendance though - that's the best I could manage this year. If anyone is going to be in the area, I highly recommend checking out NEAF - like Mr. Reynolds said, it really is astronomical heaven. The only thing better than the annual Televue blem sale will be the addition of meteorites. :) Best regards, MikeG On 3/30/10, Greg Stanley <[email protected]> wrote: > > Looks like lots of fun and a great time for the kids. > > Greg S. > > > http://cs.astronomy.com/asycs/blogs/astronomy/2010/03/30/falling-stars-neaf-and-meteorites.aspx > > > Falling stars: NEAF and meteorites > Posted 03-30-2010 by Mike Reynolds > > In 2009, Contributing Editor Mike Reynolds conducted a series of “family > meteorite workshops” at Florida State College in Jacksonville, Florida. He > will present several more at the North East Astronomy Forum in April. Mike > Reynolds photo > On April 17 and 18, the North East Astronomy Forum (NEAF) will take place at > Rockland College in Suffern, New York. This year, Astronomy magazine will be > sponsoring the meeting. This mecca of astronomy goodies — from companies who > show everything from eyepieces to telescopes of every type — is one of the > year’s best-attended shows. The Rockland Astronomy Club (RAC) hosts NEAF and > is led by my good friend Alan Traino, who puts his all into NEAF, as does > the entire RAC team. > > I remember my first NEAF. I thought I had died and gone to astronomical > heaven. I had never seen so many astronomical companies in one room, albeit > a college gymnasium. And in addition to all of the companies and their > wares, NEAF offers talks and presentations for attendees as well as > activities for kids and their families. > > This year Alan has asked me to set up a booth that will have a number of > meteorite-related activities for kids attending NEAF. This is a large bill > to fill, but I’ll do my best. First I will have a large exhibit of > meteorites, tektites, and impactites. Nothing beats learning about > meteorites like seeing them firsthand. This display will also include a > number of meteorite items, from skillfully crafted knives to meteorites > depicted on stamps and coins. I also will feature demonstrations and > activities. Some of what I have planned for attendees includes: > > Demonstrations: > > * > Comet-making — from dry ice, water, carbon, ammonium hydroxide, > silicates, organics; always a fun activity to see and clearly demonstrates > the simple makeup of a comet. > * > Cosmic Killer! — determining if someone could be killed by a meteorite > strike (a new activity I just developed for a science supply company). > * > Iron meteorite etching — to show the Widmanstätten pattern in > nickel-iron crystalline structures. > * > Nickel testing — confirming nickel in meteorites (first question: How > do we know if it is a meteorite or a “meteor-wrong”?). > > Ongoing Activities: > > * > Classification of meteorites — Irons, Stones, and Stony-Irons, with > identifications; I’ll also have a brochure available. > * > Optical and hand-held digital microscopes for viewing meteorite > surfaces and interiors on a computer monitor. > * > Magnetic meteorites — a demonstration of magnetic properties. > * > Meteoritic splash — creating craters and rays in large tray of fine > builder’s sand; the top layer will show impact rays. > * > “Meteor-wrongs” — how to identify many of the average so-called > meteor-wrongs like loadstone, granite, etc. > * > Meteorite podcast — my Falling Stars talk. > * > Searching for meteorites — kids that attend will use an ubermagnet and > search a large tray of fine builder’s sand for “buried” meteorites. > * > Thin-section meteorite slides — using projection microscopes, kids > will have the opportunity to see “through” a meteorite. > > As you might have guessed, these activities and demonstrations are really > for anyone and everyone. If you want to learn more about meteorites and in a > hands-on way, this will be your golden opportunity. > > Alan also asked that I set up a booth offering meteorites for sale. Most of > what I will bring will be inexpensive meteorites for those who want a “piece > of the rock” at a reasonable price. There will also be some spectacular > meteorites available, from museum-quality large meteorite slabs to lunar > meteorites. I have been working with one of my college students — an art > major — to create some unusual and stunning meteorite jewelry. I will also > do a book signing for my introductory meteoritics book entitled Falling > Stars. > > NEAF is always a fun event, and with the emphasis this year on kids, > outreach, and astronomy, I hope attendees take home with them our > enthusiasm. Next month we’ll explore more meteorite topics, and I’ll have a > report from NEAF. > > Do you have a meteorite question? Collecting tales? Successful meteorite > hunts? A favorite meteorite or book? A must-see meteorite exhibit? Please > email me at [email protected]. I will explore your meteorite questions and > more each month! > Keep looking up! > Dr. Mike Reynolds > > Previous "Falling Stars" blogs: > > * A preview of the 2010 Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, January 22, 2010 > * About the spectacular stony-iron meteorite Imilac, December 29, 2009 > * Learn more about the meteorite Northwest Africa 869, December 4, 2009 > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Hotmail: Free, trusted and rich email service. > http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/196390708/direct/01/ > ______________________________________________ > Visit the Archives at > http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html > Meteorite-list mailing list > [email protected] > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > -- ------------------------------------------------------------ Mike Gilmer - Galactic Stone & Ironworks Meteorites http://www.galactic-stone.com http://www.facebook.com/galacticstone ------------------------------------------------------------ ______________________________________________ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list [email protected] http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
