Tour the National Museum After the First Fifty Years

This Meteorite, weighing 1,400 pounds, was first discovered by Jesuit Missionaries in Sonora, Mexico, by whom it was considered a great curiosity, exciting much speculation as to its origin. In 1736 the "Gran Capitan de las Provincias del Occidente," Don Juan Baptista Anza, was induced to visit the Aerolite, and found it at a place called "Los Mochachest in the Sierra Madre," and struck with its appearance undertook to transport it to Sau Blas, then the nearest point of entry, with the view of carrying it to Spain. With this object it was brought as far as the Presidio, near Tucson, in Arizona, where it was left on account of the difficulty in carrying it further. It was then taken into the town of Tucson, set up vertically, and used as a kind of anvil. In 1857 Dr. B. J. D. Irwin found this meteorite lying in one of the streets of the village, half buried in the earth. As no one claimed it, he publicly announced his intention to take possession of it and forward it to the Smithsonian Institution. By the kindness of Messrs. Jesus and Santiago Ainsa, in May, 1863, the specimen was conveyed, free of charge, to Ghaymas, from whence it was taken by Flint & Haliday's steamers to San Francisco and thence by the Pacific Mail Steamship Company and Panama Railroad Company, to New York, also, without expense, and reached the Institution in November of the same year.

The meteorite is in the shape of an immense signet ring, much heavier on one side, where it is nearly flat on its outer surface, and presents the face used as an anvil. The greatest exterior diameter or long axis is 49 inches; the least diameter or short axis is 36 inches; the greatest width of the opening, 28 inches; width of thickest part of the ring, 103 inches. Its weight is 1,400 pounds. Its composition is principally of iron.

This specimen was brought from Saltillo by Lieutenant, now General, Darius N. Couch, of the United States Army. It was said to have come from the Sancha estate, about fifty miles from Santa Rosa, in the north of Coahuila. This meteorite, when discovered, was also in use as an anvil.

Meteorite or Aerolites are fragments of solid fiery bodies which, from time to time, visit the earth, sweeping through the sky with immense velocity, and remaining visible but a few moments. They are generally attended by a luminous train, and during their progress explosions frequently occur, followed by the fall of stones. The size of these stones varies from a few grains to several tons. They are frequently composed of malleable iron and nickel, though nineteen elementary substances have been discovered in them.

See the Handbook for more information on,

MINERALS

INORGANIC WORLD

Return to start of the Tour the National Museum in 1886