* Astronomy

Title: The Furnas County stone of the Norton County, Kansas-Furnas County Nebraska, achondritic fall
Authors: Leonard, F. C.

A preliminary account is given in this paper of a record-breaking meteorite - the Furnas County member of the extraordinary Norton County, Kansas-Furnas County, Nebraska, achondritic fall of 1948 February 18 (coördinate number = 1000,400). This specimen, discovered on 1948 August 16, is conservatively estimated to weigh 1 metric ton (2200 lbs.). If that estimate is correct, or nearly correct, then the Furnas County stone is by far the largest known aerolite in the world and the largest meteorite of any type ever observed to fall. Several other significant facts concerning this remarkable meteorite are noted and briefly discussed. The giant aerolite was recovered thru the combined efforts of the Institute of Meteoritics of the University of New Mexico and the University of Nebraska State Museum, which have acquired joint ownership of it.

Read more

Aubrites are the only stony meteorites that have a pale beige-colored fusion crust contrasting with a white interior. They lack iron which makes their fusion crusts turn a light tan color. This is a distinguishing characteristic of all aubrites. The meteorites are almost pure magnesium silicate. Until 1948, the aubrites were some of the rarest of the stony meteorites. Then, on February 18, 1948, a fall of over 100 stones occurred over Norton County, Kansas and Furnas county, Nebraska. One weighed over 1 ton and the second most massive weighed in at 131.5 lb. The 1 ton stone remains on permanent display in the meteorite museum at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.
Source (PDF)