Document Type

Research

Abstract

The meteor of September 27, 1952, attracted more attention than any other falling in the Middle West in the last few years. Over 600 letters were received by the university directly from persons in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, Missouri, Illinois, and Wisconsin. About 100 additional letters which were sent first to the Universities of Wisconsin, Nebraska, and South Dakota were forwarded to us making a total of more than 700. A majority of the observers compared the light of the meteor to that of the full moon in brightness. A few near the end point said, "It seemed as bright as day." Near the end point, a loud roll of thunder followed the appearance of the meteor. Two field trips were made for obtaining data. On the first, measurements were made on the path across the sky as pointed out by about forty different observers in northwestern Iowa, northeastern Nebraska, and southeastern South Dakota. On the second trip, about twenty-five additional measurements were made, all in southeastern South Dakota near the end point of the meteor. On this second trip, a helicopter was used for a day and a half to search for possible meteorites, or the holes they made in striking.

Publication Date

1953

Journal Title

Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume

Issue

First Page

492

Last Page

494

Copyright

Language

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Wylie, C. C. and Collins, George E. (1953) "The Path and Orbit of the South Dakota Detonating Meteor of September 27, 1952," Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, 60(1), 492-494.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol60/iss1/63

Download

Comments?

COinS

The Path and Orbit of the South Dakota Detonating Meteor of September 27, 1952

Authors