Descriptions and analysis of the Binda meteorite
Abstract
History.—This Aerolite fell, probably, on the night of Saturday, 25th May, 1912. On that date a meteor was seen passing over Goulburn and Crookwell, travelling N.E. to S.W. Observers report that the luminous phenomenon was accompanied by a loud noise, a Crookwell resident taking it for the sound of an aeroplane overhead. The meteorite was discovered on 5th June by Alick McCormack on Mr. Fraser's property four miles from Binda (Lat. 34°18′S, Long. 149°25′E); it is not absolutely certain that the stone found is actually that seen in flight on 25th May, but circumstantial evidence is strongly in favour of this being the case. McCormack was engaged in rabbit trapping, and noticed what he at first took for a newly formed rabbit burrow; on tracing the furrow to its termination he found the meteorite partly embedded in the ground. We may conclude, therefore, that the stone had fallen quite recently, a conclusion strengthened by examination of the meteorite itself, which is in a perfectly fresh condition. The meteorite subsequently passed into the custody of Mrs. A. Gilmartin, proprietress and editress of the "Argyle Liberal" newspaper at Crook well; it was on exhibition for some time at the office of that paper, and there, unfortunately, it was broken into two pieces, one of which, weighing 5 lbs 13 ½ ozs., was presented to the Trustees by Mrs. Gilmartin, the other, weighing 4 lbs 6 ½ ozs. being presented to the Technological Museum, Sydney, by the finder. The meteorite is stated to have weighed 12 lbs originally, so that about 2 lbs weight is unaccounted for.
