Rockhampton

meteoritic stone fall in Spring of 1895

The article that follows is from H. Tryon in Q'land Naturalist, vol. 1, no. 7 (1910), pp 161-171

"... These meteorites fell at Rockhampton, Queensland, in the spring of 1895, or nearly twelve months prior to 30th April, 1896, when they were inspected.

    No. 1.    This meteoritic stone was seen by Mr. J. Howe, of North Street, to come during a bright afternoon from a south-westerly direction, between 4 and 5 p.m., and to fall in Candle Street. It buried itself in the ground on striking the earth and was picked up.

The stone, on being found, was in four pieces, and had been shared by two witnesses to the occurrence. On these pieces being fitted together, the object weighed 2lbs., but missing fragments would amount to quite 1lb. more.

It was sub-pyramidal, slightly rounded and narrowed at one end, and concavely flattened at the other, having anterior and posterior irregularly-convex faces meeting at the sides, its greatest height and breadth being sub-equal. Externally, it was of a dark pitch colour, and had a dull, smooth surface. Irregular raised lines traversed its face obliquely. All its angles and edges were rounded off. The dark colouration of the exterior was due to a superficial layer of matter, within which the meteorite was light gray. It was evidently composed of some granular, felspathic substance (?anorthite) that fractured irregularly, the surface being rough to the touch. No distinct crystals were apparent to macroscopical examination, but there were scattered through the main substance - sparingly - little particles of what appeared to be pyrites (probably bronzite) and ferrite, but were possibly representatives of distinct minerals. The surface yielded to the knife that readily scratched it. No measurements recorded.

    No. 2.    This was seen by the writer at Mr. J. S. Edgar's house at the Botanical Gardens.

Here had been remarked what appeared to be a falling star close at hand, considerable electrical disturbance occurring about the same time. The stone, Mr. Edgar added, must have dropped during the middle of the afternoon.

The meteorite was of irregular rhomboidal form, with the sides almost plane. These met in almost straight lines, the angular edges being smoothed down. When resting on one of its faces, it was three inches deep at one end. The surface was smoothed, and the dull pitch black external layer was about 1/32 inch thick. It was intact with one edge shattered (so as to disclose the nature of the substance composing it) when examined. Internally, it corresponded to No. 1 : some of the metallic particles near the surface, were, however, decomposed and formed rust-like stains.

    No. 3.    At the School of Arts, was a stone similar to that in Mr. Edgar's possession.

This, as was stated in 1896, was picked up about 200 yards from the Goal by one of the men's wives resident there, and she had it in her possession a few days after its fall.

In striking the earth it made quite a cloud of dust, and apparently came into contact with some hard substance, and so broke in pieces. One surface was slightly malleated, otherwise it resembled in composition Nos. 1 and 2.

..."