How do you get a meteor authenticated?

You may try contacting the Geological Survey of your state, a local college or university or college or a local natural history museum. In addition, there are a few commercial firms that will charge a fee for examining and identifying suspected meteorites.

How much does it cost to authenticate a meteorite?

It is routine to take an "authentication" or" testing slice" from suspected meteorites to examine the interior. Please do not send any samples larger than golf ball size. If you need to send a larger sample, email us for the additional return postage costs. The testing charge is $30.00 for two (2) samples.

Where can I take a meteorite test?

If you have a sample that is a candidate for further study, you should take it to your local science museum or university. If after taking your sample to a museum or university you are notified that it is not a meteorite, you should not be discouraged.

Is owning a meteorite illegal?

Is it legal to own a meteorite? Yes. It is completely legal to own a meteorite, at least in the United States.

Is my meteorite worth anything?

Meteorites are quite valuable, worth as much as $1,000 per gram, according to the LiveScience website. Kellyco Metal Detectors posted on eBay that it can sell for $300 per gram or more — meaning 1 pound could be worth $1 million. "Meteorites are rarer than gold, platinum, diamonds or emeralds.

How do you price a meteorite?

Because meteorites are so scarce, they are priced and sold by the gram. Scarcity, availability, the size of the specimen, and the amount and quality of preparation that went into the piece can all affect price. Common iron meteorite prices are generally in the range of US$0.50 to US$5.00 per gram.

Who owns a meteorite?

Courts have long established that meteorites belong to the owner of the surface estate. Therefore, meteorites found on public lands are part of the BLM's surface estate, belong to the federal government, and must be managed as natural resources in accordance with the FLPMA of 1976."

What do I do if I found a meteorite?

If you find a meteorite on the ground following an observed fall, take a photograph of it before picking it up. Look around for other specimens; most meteorites break into several pieces before hitting the ground; these pieces could be many tens of meters apart.

Who owns a meteorite that lands on your property?

the meteorite is the property of the federal government, the landowner. meteorites found on public lands are subject to the 1906 Antiquities Act (16 U.S.C. 432)

Do metal detectors pick up meteorites?

Two of the three types of meteorites (stony-iron and iron) can be located with a metal detector; it will readily pick up a signal for both of these metals. The best meteorite-hunting metal detector has both a low frequency and a sensitivity to small objects.

Do museums buy meteorites?

The art world's interest in meteorites has skyrocketed, with collectors and curators buying up the outer-space rocks for display in museums, galleries or on a cocktail table at home.

How do you classify a meteorite?

Meteorites are often divided into three overall categories based on whether they are dominantly composed of rocky material (stony meteorites), metallic material (iron meteorites), or mixtures (stony–iron meteorites).

Does a meteorite have to be magnetic?

Magnetism: A majority of meteorites are magnetic. If your specimen isn't magnetic, it probably isn't a meteorite. Streak Test: Scratch your specimen on a ceramic tile.

Will a magnet stick to a meteorite?

But be careful—not all meteorites attract magnets; only the meteorites that are rich in iron (such as iron or stony-iron meteorites) will attract magnets. Some meteorites, like those from the Moon which are only made up of rocky minerals, will not be attracted to a magnet.

What is the most expensive meteorite?

The most expensive meteorite, according to the auction catalog, is the Brenham Meteorite Main Mass, and is expected to bring in 750,000 to 1.2 million dollars. The 1,433 pound specimen was found in 2005 in Kiowa County, Kansas.

Why are meteorites so valuable?

Value is determined by many different factors including rarity of type, size, condition, aesthetic appeal, and so on. Meteorites have significant financial value to collectors and scientific value to researchers. Meteorite values can range from a few dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Do I own a meteorite if it falls on my property?

If a meteorite lands on your property, in most cases the space rock is likely yours. The rock is yours unless your area has some strange meteorite ownership law, or if someone else can provide a better title to ownership of the rock.

Are meteorites covered by insurance?

Falling objects—including satellites, asteroids, meteors and space debris—are covered under standard homeowners and business insurance policies.

Is it safe to pick up meteorites?

First and foremost, meteorites are not harmful to humans or to any terrestrial life. Meteorite handling procedures are designed to protect the meteorite from terrestrial contamination and alteration, not to protect people from meteorites.

Can you keep a meteorite that lands on your property?

In the US, if you find a meteorite on your land, you own it. And if you buy a meteorite from someone who found it on their land, you legally own it too. But the US government has stated that no matter who finds a meteorite on public lands, it belongs to the Smithsonian Institute.

How do I know if my meteorite is real?

Should I clean a meteorite?

Never rush into cleaning a meteorite. Take the time to carefully examine the stone before beginning to clean it. If you should see rust on a stone or iron, of if you see an ooze of green liquid, it is time to do some maintenance.

What are the odds of finding a meteorite?

The chance of finding a meteorite is exceedingly small. Since 1900, about 1800 meteorites have been found in North America. That is about 15 per year. About two thirds of meteorites found in the United States have been found in arid regions of California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Kansas.

What type of meteorite is the rarest?

The rarest kind of meteorite are the stony-iron meteorites, containing about equal parts of stone and iron.

What's the difference between a meteor and a meteorite?

Think of them as “space rocks." When meteoroids enter Earth's atmosphere (or that of another planet, like Mars) at high speed and burn up, the fireballs or “shooting stars” are called meteors. When a meteoroid survives a trip through the atmosphere and hits the ground, it's called a meteorite.