Author name: Norm Lehrman

Usually bragging rights go to the monsters, but there’s a tiny end of the spectrum that deserves respect as well. I suppose there exists a full gradational transition from macro- to microtektites, but at the scale readily discerned by the naked eye, this is the smallest complete Australite in our collection. This morphology is well-known, and generally termed a “dish”. […]

Part of the Australasian tektite event, Javanites are characterized by deep intricate etching and a brilliant gloss. Known as “Agni Mani” in Sanskrit (roughly translated as “Fire Pearls”), the fabled Javan tektites have a rich cultural lore collected in an entertaining book by Latvian Baron Richard J.H. de Touche-Skadding. (Agni Mani: Magic Gem from the Moon: Ballantine, 1966; Mayflower 1968).

Here is a classic Anda tektite from northwestern Pangasinan Province, Republic of the Philippines. This specimen shows the trademark bowtie or flower ornamentation reminiscent of rodent chew marks common to this region. There are also Thailandites with Anda-like ornamentation (and they are often inappropriately offered on Ebay as “Anda tektites”; to merit the name genuine Andas must come from the

This particularly fine Georgiaite teardrop is pictured in two Georgia mathematics textbooks. It was found January 25, 2003 near Riddleville, Washington County, Georgia, almost exactly 500 miles southwest of the generally accepted 34.5 ma impact site in what is now Chesapeake Bay, Virginia. A little over 2000 Georgiaites are known with a total weight in the neighborhood of 12 kg.

This spectacular Thailandite from the Khorat Plateau region of northeastern Thailand, exhibits exceptionally well-developed skin splits. These formed after the skin had cooled sufficiently to react in a brittle manner while the interior remained soft and gooey. When this water balloon-like blob splatted, the skin split open revealing the viscous interior. Note the contrast in skin ornamentation between the two