Rock On?

Who says nothing exciting ever happens north of the bay?

Last Friday morning, a one and a half inch rock was found in the yard of Novato resident Lisa Webber. She naturally concluded that the rock was a meteorite from the previous night's meteor shower. Because really, where else would a rock in one's yard come from? It's not as if you could just find a rock anywhere outside, right?



The Metorite as pictured in the Marin IJ

 This being Marin County, where things like distressed wild turkeys are taken really really seriously, it was only natural that NASA was called. According to our own Marin IJ newspaper, Peter Jenniskens, principal investigator for NASA's Cameras for Allsky Meteor Surveillance, came to Webber's home.

Now, if you've seen E.T., you can imagine what the scene was like at the Webbers' house. I'm picturing lots of guys in HazMat suits walking around with tongs to carry the meteorite into a mobile clean room.

Webber was quick to contain the situation, telling the Marin IJ, "I told him (Jenniskens), I'm not selling this (the rock) to a meteor market person. This is for science. I want him to have it for as long as he needs it and then when I get it back, I'll give it to my neighbor's son."

Not in Novato

Apparently, Webber is under the impression that there is a vast black market for meteorites in Novato. I think aside from that whole Lex Luthor/Cryptonite thing, she probably doesn't have a lot to worry about.

Not to be left out of the intergallactic hysteria, the San Francisco Chronicle declared "Tiny Meteorite Fragment Hits Novato Home" complete with a picture of the meteorite in foil, because any scientist knows that Reynold's Wrap does protect you from unknown outer space radiation. And, right on the heels of the Chronicle, the San Jose Mercury News declared "Scientist: Rock that hit Novato home is a meteorite." So, there you have it.

What was a bit ironic is that the home is occupied by a pastor. I don't know how the job review process works for pastors, but having your home pelted by outer space debris can't be the greatest sign. "Lord, send me a sign!" (Thunk!)

Novato-geddon Cancelled

To any neighbors constructing "Meteor Shelters" in their backyards (we don't really have basements here.), please stop digging. You can rest assured that we don't actually have to send Bruce Willis up into space to blow up the big one before it targets Marin County. People of Fairfax, uncover your hot tubs and take the tarps off your "herb gardens." Things are going to be okay.

It turns out that the meteorite found in Novato was actually a rock. I know! What are the odds of that?!?!

"I sincerely thought it was, based on what appeared to me was remnant fusion crust," said meteor hunter Jenniskens. "On closer inspection, that crust was a product of weathering of a natural rock, not from the heat of entry."

I can only imagine how many producers at The Discovery Channel were crushed to hear this news, since this now means their "Midget Meteor Hunters of the Everglades" show will now be cancelled. Rest assured Little People Big World, your time slot is safe.

So, if there is a moral of this story, I guess it is that sometimes a rock is just a rock. Sometimes, it's better to call Marin Landscape (Colored Gravel!!) before you call NASA. But still...rock on Marin County. Rock on!