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IMCA Insights – January 2010

Irons from Space Pictures of the Day
by Dave Gheesling

After a recent business trip to neighboring South Carolina, I was fortunate enough to catch Michael Johnson during a free moment and get a personal tour of his spectacular meteorite collection. Michael is probably best known by all of us in the meteorite community for his terrific Rocks from Space Picture of the Day (aka RFSPOD) postings through his website, www.spacerocksinc.org. But it is Michael’s aesthetic iron meteorite collection that is the real show stopper!

Michael Johnson with eight stunning iron meteorite specimens
Michael Johnson with eight stunning iron meteorite specimens (six Sikhote-Alins and two Gibeons) (Photo courtesy of Dave Gheesling)

A closer look at these specimens
A closer look at these specimens, sitting atop custom-made pillars like Easter Island statues in their heyday! (Picture courtesy of Dave Gheesling)

A ground zero view of this 10+ kilogram specimen
A ground zero view of this 10+ kilogram specimen, featuring fresh fusion veneer, against a backdrop of P. J. Medvedev's historic portrait of February 12, 1947 (Picture courtesy of Dave Gheesling)

The smiling curator Michael Johnson
The smiling curator juxtaposed against yet another row of meteorite-topped pillars (Photo courtesy of Dave Gheesling)

One of my personal favorites
It's hard to pick just one, but this ~5 kilogram natural sculpture has to be one of my personal favorites (Photo courtesy of Dave Gheesling)

It's not all about irons
It's not all about irons for Michael, as these beautiful, fresh stones from the Bassikounou, Allende and Chergach witnessed falls attest (and the huge etched Sikhote-Alin slice shows the coarsest octahedrite structure like none other I've seen). (Photo courtesy of Dave Gheesling)

My shirt turned green...
My shirt was red when I arrived at Michael's house, but had turned green with envy by departure ;-) (Photo courtesy of Dave Gheesling)

Thanks again Michael for your southern hospitality and the front row view of your wonderful meteorite collection!

© 2010 Dave Gheesling/FALLINGROCKS.com

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