Prairie Meteorite Network facts for kids
| Formation | 1964 |
|---|---|
| Dissolved | 1975 |
| Type | Camera network |
| Legal status | Defunct |
| Purpose | Record meteorite falls |
|
Region served
|
Midwestern United States |
|
Parent organization
|
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory |
The Prairie Meteorite Network was a special system of cameras used to spot and record when meteorites fell to Earth. It was set up in the central Midwestern United States by a famous science group called the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. This network worked for about 11 years, from 1964 to 1975. Its main goal was to capture images of falling meteorites. This would help scientists find the meteorites and learn more about them.
Contents
What Was the Prairie Meteorite Network?
The Prairie Meteorite Network was made up of sixteen camera stations. These stations were spread out across the Midwestern United States. Each station had special cameras that could take pictures of the sky. The network was designed to catch bright streaks of light made by meteorites as they entered Earth's atmosphere.
How Did the Cameras Work?
The network used old cameras that were originally made for airplanes. These cameras had special lenses called "metrogon lenses." These lenses were wide-angle, meaning they could see a very large part of the sky at once. They used large rolls of film, like big camera film, to record the images. The cameras were set up to take pictures automatically, hoping to capture a meteorite fall.
Why Was the Network Created?
Scientists wanted to study meteorites. By photographing a meteorite as it fell, they could figure out its path in space. This information would help them understand where meteorites come from. It also helped them find the meteorite pieces on the ground. Finding meteorites right after they fall is important because they are less changed by Earth's weather.
The Lost City Meteorite
Even though the network operated for ten years, it only successfully recorded one meteorite fall. This famous event happened in 1970. The meteorite was named the Lost City meteorite. The cameras captured its fiery journey through the sky. Because of these photos, scientists were able to find the meteorite pieces. This was a big success for the network.
End of the Network
The Prairie Meteorite Network stopped operating in 1975. Even though it only recorded one meteorite fall, the information gathered from the Lost City meteorite was very valuable. It showed how useful such camera networks could be for studying objects from space.
See also
- Glossary of meteoritics
- European Fireball Network
References
