China News Agency, Jinhua, December 16th (Zhang Binwei Yanran) At 18:00 on December 15th, according to the witnesses of people in many places in Zhejiang, a suspected meteorite object fell in the sky and gave off a dazzling light. extensive attention.
On the 16th, the reporter visited a mountain village in Tanxi Town, Pujiang County, Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province, where the meteorite was suspected to have fallen.
The suspected meteorite seen by Chen Genhua, a villager in Maodian Village, Tanxi Town.
Photo by Mao Chaojiang
Villagers involved: Suspected meteorite smells "iron"
Recalling the scene that happened on the 15th, Chen Genhua, a villager in Maodian Village, Tanxi Township, still finds it strange.
She told a reporter from China News Agency that at about 18 o'clock that day, she was walking with other villagers in the neighboring village when a white light flashed in the sky, followed by a loud "bang".
Chen Genhua's first reaction was "a gas explosion occurred", and she hurried home.
A suspected meteorite picked up by Wang Yinglai, a villager in Chengtou Village.
Photo by Wu Ruiqian
When passing the fork between the village road and the village road, Chen Genhua saw a "big rock" on the road.
To avoid affecting the traffic, Chen Genhua kicked the "big rock" away with one kick.
After rushing home to make sure she was safe, she was relieved.
At about 19 o'clock, Chen Genhua learned that someone in the next village had picked up a suspected meteorite, so she remembered the "big rock" and went back to the fork to pick it up.
"It was heavy to hold, and it was still a little warm to the touch at the time, and it smelled of 'iron', and it could be absorbed with a magnet." Chen Genhua told reporters.
The suspected meteorite picked up by Chen Genhua has a cement-gray overall appearance with some black marks on the surface, and its length, width, and height are about 10 centimeters.
In the drizzle, the reporter returned to the scene with Chen Genhua.
She pointed to a puddle on the road and said that this is where the suspected meteorite was seen.
The reporter observed that the longest side of the pit on the asphalt road was less than 20 centimeters.
Chen Genhua, a villager in Maodian Village, Tanxi Town, recalled the incident to a reporter from Chinanews.com.
Photo by Wang Gang
A companion of Chen Genhua recalled that he said that the suspected meteorite Chen Genhua picked up weighed about 3 catties and 4 taels (1.7 kilograms).
It is understood that this is the heaviest known meteorite among the suspected meteorites discovered in Pujiang County that night.
Whether meteorites still need to be detected Experts: Meteorites are generally not radioactive
Chengtou Village, which is adjacent to Maodian Village, was the place where the suspected meteorite was discovered earlier.
In the village, the reporter also saw a crater that was suspected to be "smashed" by a meteorite.
Local villager Wang Yinglai picked up a suspected meteorite with a length of about 8 cm and a weight of nearly 0.36 kg.
Chen Genhua, a villager in Maodian Village, Tanxi Town, is near the crater suspected to have been "smashed" by a meteorite.
Photo by Zhang Bin
A reporter from China News Agency learned from the Propaganda Department of the Pujiang County Party Committee that the gravel samples suspected to be meteorites were sent by relevant departments to the laboratory of the Third Geological Brigade of Zhejiang Province at 9 o'clock on the 16th for composition analysis.
Whether the suspected meteorite picked up by the villagers is related to the dazzling light that appeared in the Zhejiang sky that night needs to wait for further test results.
In Maodian Village, Tanxi Township, there is a crater suspected to be "smashed" by a meteorite.
Photo by Wang Gang
"Through the preliminary judgment of the video, the event of 'small celestial body emitting white light after falling' that you saw on the evening of the 15th is a bolide phenomenon." Chen Zhiping, a professor at Hangzhou Dianzi University and chairman of the Zhejiang Astronomical Society, was interviewed by a reporter from China News Agency It explained that there are many small celestial bodies in the universe, and some of them will burn and emit light after entering the earth's atmosphere at a very fast speed. This process is called the "fire meteor phenomenon".
Judging whether the object picked up by the villagers is a meteorite requires expert identification.
In Chengtou Village, Tanxi Township, there is a hole suspected to be "smashed" by a meteorite.
Photo by Wang Gang
Are these objects radioactive and will they cause harm to the human body?
Chen Zhiping believes that radiation objects contain special substances, such as radioactive elements.
In general, small bodies in bolide phenomena do not have radioactive elements.
"The 'fire meteor phenomenon' may occur every day in various parts of the earth, the size is different, and the public can just look at it with appreciation." (End)