* Astronomy

Record of the Sitathali meteorite of 4th March, 1875.

In May 1875, Mr. H. Read, the Deputy Commissioner of Raipur, forwarded to the Indian Museum, Calcutta, a specimen of a meteorite that fell in Sitathali, of the Zamindari Narra, about 62 miles east of Raipur in the Central Provinces. This would be about long. 82° 35' E., lat. 21° 15' N. The fall is stated to have occurred at about 11 a. M. In the letter announcing the presentation it is stated that a similar meteorite was said to have fallen at the same moment three-quarters of a mile distant from the first fall. A portion of this was also procured by Mr. Read and, at the request of the Trustees, forwarded to the Museum. Both specimens were now exhibited to the Meeting.
The most noteworthy circumstance of this fall is, that, though found at such a distance apart, the two pairs most unmistakably fit. They weigh respectively 2lbs. 0 oz. 430 grains, and 1lb. lOoz. 160gr. When united they form a lump of peculiar shape, resembling a quarter segment of an ovoid mass - a principal convex surface, two secondary surfaces meeting this and each other nearly at right angles, having a length of 5½ inches, and a fourth, or basal surface of quadrant shape with a radius of 3 inches.
This last is unfortunately for the most part an artificial fracture ; all the others having the usual black crust. There is a marked gradation of the glazing action : the main convex surface is the smoothest, though still betraying the granulation of the stone, and on it one can detect faintly, as it were the trail of the fused matter, as swept from the surface by the resisting medium. The two principal secondary surfaces are slightly concave, and dimpled : although the film is about as thick on these as on the main surface, the roughness of the stone's texture is much less disguised, while on the flat and dimpled surface of junction of the two pairs the glazing film, though quite distinct, does not completely cloak the texture and colour
Source: From the Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal