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UNT scientists thank Plano officer for fireball shot
By Stephanie Flemmons, Staff Writer
Two scientists who located pieces of the latest meteor that soared through Texas skies Sunday believe the contributing factor that led them to the fall site was due to a Plano police officer’s squad camera.
Preston Starr UNT’s observatory manager and Rob DiLulio, UNT’s planetarium director, said Officer Beverly Roady’s squad camera showed precisely what direction the fireball was traveling.
“We consider her lead as one of the key elements to form the triangulation that got us to the site,” DiLulio said. “Because of the officer’s dash camera we knew it pushed south from the direction she reported facing and we could really study the shadows.”
The two scientists set off for their journey about 3 a.m., which was originally going to lead them to Fayetteville. The team decided to make a quick stop at the Czech Stop in West to grab a kolache.
“We had our NASA and UNT gear on and the employee behind the counter asked if we were there because of the thing that shook their walls,” DiLulio said with a smile. “A customer approached us and said ‘it was as loud as a train.”
DiLulio at that point knew they were traveling along the right path. The team decided to continue chasing the Fayetteville site at sunrise and search.
Starr said they spent about 2-3 hours searching, but decided to head back to West because they were certain it was closer to the explosion.
DiLulio said they stopped at a truck stop in West to buy some batteries from his metal detector. While they were inside they came across the McClennan County sheriff and some deputies.
“I wanted to interview everyone, so I asked him if he received a lot of reports,” DiLulio said. “One of the deputies said it happened right by his house. The sheriff told him to take us there.”
Starr and DiLulio decided to search the gravel road first before looking on the private property. Starr said the two were driving slowly when they noticed a black grayish rock.
“We immediately knew what it was,” Starr said. “I said ‘stop the car, stop the car.”
Starr and DiLulio examined the rock and confirmed it had all the characteristics of a meteorite. Since the discovery did not take place until 5 p.m., they knew they did not have a lot of time before night set in.
The team continued their search and Starr said only 10 minutes later and 75 feet ahead they found yet another black grayish rock. The two examined the piece and knew they had discovered another piece of the meteorite.
“This is priceless,” DiLulio said. “It’s like finding a needle in a haystack.”
DiLulio said the discovery is just the beginning. They plan on cutting a small portion of each rock and conducting tests to determine what it is composed of, where it came from and how old it is.
Starr and DiLulio said they will return to the sight to continue searching for more pieces.
Contact Stephanie Flemmons at sflemmons@acnpapers.com
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