Using Triangulation to Locate Meteorites from Witnessed Falls

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Background
Meteorites are a significant part of astronomy. They are thought to come mostly from asteroids, although a few have come from the moon and even Mars. Meteorites yield information such as the age and formation of the solar system. They provide chemical clues as to the composition of planetary bodies and show how they've changed through time.

Witnessing a fireball event can be a life changing experience, however, meteorite pose no real danger when they enter the atmosphere. When luminescent, they are anywhere from 11-20 miles into the atmosphere, much higher than most witnesses estimate. They are often seen from hundreds of miles away. They are not radioactive and do not start fires when they land. In fact, many witnesses have described newly fallen meteorites as "cold" or even covered in frost because they come from the cold of space.

More information on meteorites and searches can be found at this website:

ANSMET:http://www.cwru.edu/affil/ansmet/

Resources and Reference Materials
Norton, O.R., 1994, Rocks from space: Missoula, Montana, Mountain Press Publishing Company, 446 p.

Lindstrom,M, et al, Exploring Meteorite Mysteries, NASA publications.

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