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Meteor Over Midwest
bigpat writes "According to this story in the Chicago Tribune or this article, a meteor estimated to be the size of a 'Volkswagen bug' exploded over the Midwest around midnight yesterday morning. The resulting small meteorites hit homes causing some damage. The largest meteorite collected was 7.5 pounds. So why do astronomers always compare the size of meteors to Volkswagen bugs?"
Because there are probably more VW's on the road in just about any country you can imagine. Tell someone something was the size of a VW Bug and an image instantly comes to mind (not to mention that being an highly "odd" shape, it helps me conjure an irregular surfaced object). For example "It was the size of a VW bug" as opposed to "It was an irregular object approximately 2 meters by 5 meters by 2 meters", which is more helpful to the average person, even someone in the science fields?
If you were me, you'd be good lookin'. - six string samurai
I was skeptical, but:e or.html f eb/m14-013.shtml
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20010528/met
http://www.virtuallystrange.net/ufo/updates/1999/
http://www.theblob.info/xtras/kecksburg.pdf
Nbc 5 has some nice pictures of the meteor. The slideshow is really cool. Spaceweather.com also has some more information concerning it.
I was one of the people that felt and heard the sonic boom it created, my sister witnessed it in the sky.
1728
Because a Bug is an easily-identifiable object which weighs very close to one ton.
These days, since the New Beetle weighs over 1.5 tons, one might use a Mini for comparison. But the Old Bug has become traditional.
from article on CNN....
"Park Forest Police Department said about 60 pieces of space rock ranging from gravel-sized to softball-sized were brought in to the police station."
Have you seen what these are going for on EBAY. Sell, Sell, Sell
http://www.kubuntu.org/
Injuries were light.
There is a reason for everything. Sometimes that reason just sucks.