The British and Irish Meteorite Society
Encyclopedia
The British and Irish Meteorite Society (BIMS) is a group of 150+ Meteorite
researchers and amateurs. The BIMS was formed in 2004 by the meteorite collectors Mark Ford and Dave Harris. The group provides a meteorite collecting and study focus for the UK and Ireland, and is the only meteorite group in the UK and one of only three in the entire world. Members have made many major scientific discoveries, including the find of a rare 17.6 kg Pallasite
meteorite, in Hambleton, Yorkshire
, in 2005.
Meteorite
A meteorite is a natural object originating in outer space that survives impact with the Earth's surface. Meteorites can be big or small. Most meteorites derive from small astronomical objects called meteoroids, but they are also sometimes produced by impacts of asteroids...
researchers and amateurs. The BIMS was formed in 2004 by the meteorite collectors Mark Ford and Dave Harris. The group provides a meteorite collecting and study focus for the UK and Ireland, and is the only meteorite group in the UK and one of only three in the entire world. Members have made many major scientific discoveries, including the find of a rare 17.6 kg Pallasite
Pallasite
A pallasite is a type of stony–iron meteorite.-Structure and composition:It consists of cm-sized olivine crystals of peridot quality in an iron-nickel matrix. Coarser metal areas develop Widmanstätten patterns upon etching...
meteorite, in Hambleton, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, in 2005.
Accomplishments
- In 2005 the Society donated a substantial meteorite collection to South Downs Planetarium in Chichester England, which was received by Sir Patrick Moore.
- Many Talks, Lectures and Exhibitions have been given by members and BIMS was a founding participant in the Brighton Science Festival event.
- In 2006 a fireball response system was established, with the intention of recovering any space rock material which lands within the UK, the main aim is to ensure material is preserved for scientific study.
- In October 2008 the Society attended 'Impact Day' at the Institute of Astronomy in Cambridge. This prestigious event attracted delegates from all over Europe, and included lectures by members Caroline Smith (NHM), David Bryant (Spacerocks UK) and Dave Harris (BIMS)
External links
- British and Irish meteorite Society Website
- international meteorite collectors Association
- Meteoritical SocietyMeteoritical SocietyThe Meteoritical Society is a non-profit scholarly organization founded in 1933 to promote research and education in planetary science with emphasis on studies of meteorites and other extraterrestrial materials that further our understanding of the origin and history of the solar system.The...