Brandon Sun - PRINT EDITION
Meteorite-like rock found near Neepawa. (SUBMITTED)
A woman living near Riding Mountain believes she found pieces of a meteor close to her home.
On Wednesday, she found two fragments with surfaces like "old elephant skin" — one the size of a football and the other larger, weighing in at approximately 55 pounds (about 25 kg).
In the middle of the night, Nicole Nixon’s house became so bright she could barely open her eyes. Then there was a loud bang and she thought something hit the house.
"It was a terrifying experience. At first I thought it was a bomb," Nixon said.
In the morning, Nixon went outside her home to find her horses cut up, likely from coming into contact with barbed wire after being spooked.
Then while walking through her property looking for the cause of the ruckus, she found what she believes to be two pieces of a meteor laying on shale rock.
There wasn’t a crater around where Nixon found the "mystery rock," but the area is covered with dense bush.
Nixon’s property is located approximately 25 kilometres north of Neepawa on the south east corner of Riding Mountain National Park.
"I don’t know 100 per cent what it is, but because of the sonic boom and the light I think it’s probably a meteor," Nixon said.
Nixon sent pictures to professor Jeff Young, from the University of Manitoba, but he was unable to verify that it was a meteor by only seeing the photo. Nixon does intend to get the rock tested to see if it really is a meteorite.
Over the weekend, bits of rock from the tail of a comet plunged through our atmosphere at the rate of up to 80 bits each hour during the annual Perseids meteor shower — one of the most spectacular meteor showers the Earth receives.
The Sun pursued comments from scientists at the University of Manitoba. Calls were not returned by press time.
» rbooker@brandonsun.com
Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition August 17, 2012
We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high. If you thought it was well written, do the same. If it doesn’t meet your standards, mark it accordingly.
You can also register and/or login to the site and join the conversation by leaving a comment.
Rate it yourself by rolling over the stars and clicking when you reach your desired rating. We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high.
The Brandon Sun does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. Comments are moderated before publication. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
A woman living near Riding Mountain believes she found pieces of a meteor close to her home.
On Wednesday, she found two fragments with surfaces like "old elephant skin" — one the size of a football and the other larger, weighing in at approximately 55 pounds (about 25 kg).
Already subscribed? Login to view full article.
Not yet a subscriber? Click Here to Signup
A woman living near Riding Mountain believes she found pieces of a meteor close to her home.
On Wednesday, she found two fragments with surfaces like "old elephant skin" — one the size of a football and the other larger, weighing in at approximately 55 pounds (about 25 kg).
A subscription to the Brandon Sun Newspaper is required to view this article. Please update your user information if you are already a newspaper subscriber.
Most Popular
Sort by: Newest to Oldest | Oldest to Newest | Most Popular 0 Comments
You can comment on most stories on brandonsun.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.