Recently, the first address for those who want to make quick money has become meteorite sales. In recent days, citizens from many different cities flocked to the region for the meteorite that fell in Bingöl Sarıçiçek Village and sold the pieces they found. After this incident, there are even those who travel from mountain to mountain for meteorite hunting, which has become popular. Last year, a farmer in Çorum sold a 68-pound meteorite he found in his field, and attention has turned to the market for celestial bodies. Experts state that not every rock can be a meteorite unless it is seen with the naked eye, and that it needs to be subjected to various tests to be identified.
HOW TO UNDERSTAND?
Dr. Cenk Kayhan from the Department of Astronomy and Space Sciences at Kayseri Erciyes University, Faculty of Science, says that some tests are applied to understand the meteorite. Kayhan, who also explained that the content of the celestial body can be examined with various analyses, also gave the following advice to citizens who find these objects:
“If there is a fragmentation in the meteorite, it should be checked whether there is a thin black shell on it, which we call a combustion crust, and whether its structure is convoluted or smooth. The stone needs to be indented. The stone also comes from the atmosphere quickly and enters the earth’s atmosphere. The outside must be in a molten state due to heating and friction.. “When you find a celestial body, you should not touch it directly because it is very hot. When it cools down, it is very important to keep it by covering it with aluminum foil without fingerprints and not to expose it to flammable effects, especially magnets or sunlight.”
DO NOT TOUCH MAGNET
Kayhan stated that some objects are exhibited in museums and observatories because they exist, and that meteorites have been frequently encountered in souvenirs in recent times. Kayhan also said that meteorites lose their originality when touched by a magnet because they contain iron, and added, “Some objects can even find buyers for 3, 4 million liras. The rare elements in the stone determine the price.” he said.
WHAT DOES THE LAW SAY?
Lawyer Kevser Yıldırım stated that the legal rules of the countries regarding meteorites have changed and said, “The USA, China, France, Japan, Canada are of the opinion that meteorites are subject to private property. Austria, Czech Republic, India, Denmark argue that they are public property. Although each legal system has its own provisions and results, in general, “In countries where private property is valid, the owner of meteorites is the owner of the land or the person who finds and possesses the meteorite.” he said.
FOUND IN TURKEY
Reminding that those who found the pieces of the meteorite that fell in Bingöl in 2015 sold them, Yıldırım said, “In Turkey, there is no regulation preventing meteorites from being subject to private ownership. Therefore, the first person who establishes possession with the intention of owning meteorites, which are suitable for private ownership and have the status of ownerless movable property, can acquire ownership through possession.”
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