* Astronomy

Meteorite Hits Mast Of Steamer. No Damage Caused By Freak Occurrence

A meteorite struck the mast or the Russian steamer Ismail while in the Indian Ocean on her way from Calcutta to Odessa, Moscow radio said today.
The Russian minestry of merchant marine recieved a radio message from the ships's captain reporting that during the night of the 28 "the space around te ship suddenly became brightly illuminated," the radio reported.
The crew of tire vessel, about 100 miles from Socotra Island off the eastern coast of Africa, succeeded in finding and picking up a small splinter of the meteorite from the deck. No damage was caused to the ship.
Read more: Toledo Blade - Feb 3, 1957

Name: Socotra Thw place of fall: Arabian Sea near the island Sokotra
11°52'N, 53°37'E
Fall January 29, 1957, 2:15
Class and type: Stony Chondrite (?)
Total weight: ?
Evidently a meteorite shower fell around the ship, one ffragment hit the foremast of the ship. Breaking up into parts it fell on the deck, where one small fragment was found, its size being 4.0 x 2.5 cm and weight 17.5 gr.
Source (PDF)

The petrographer of the committe on meteorites, O. A. Aleshkova, found that it is a piece of coal with an admixture of sandstone-carbonate matter.
Read more (PDF)