Yesterday was a big day for the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, the world’s biggest event for gem and mineral collectors, meteorite enthusiasts, jewelry buyers, and beaders. The so-called “main show,” held at the Hotel Tucson Convention Center and in its 57th incarnation, cranked up Thursday morning at 10. Long lines twisted around the entrances to the show, and with the opening bell, hundreds of attendees streamed into the show, encountering an enormous mass of dealers with thousands of items for sale. Meteorites were everywhere, and I will report on the main show in greater detail later.
The Aerolite Meteorites and Impactika Meteorites rooms at the Hotel Tucson City Center (formerly the InnSuites), Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, February 10, 2011. David J. Eicher photo
Early Thursday afternoon, I had a date with the
Meteorite Men, Steve Arnold and Geoff Notkin, popularizers of meteorite hunting on the Science Channel. Their show was just picked up for a third season, and we celebrated by creating a series of videos in the sales room of Aerolite Meteorites (Geoff”s company) highlighting a vast number of meteorite specimens. You’ll see these videos once I arrive back in Wisconsin early next week.
Next door, Anne Black of Impactika Meteorites also gave me an extensive tour of “goodies” in her room in the form of a video blog. I expect that if you have any interest in meteorites, you’ll want to see the latest from their rooms when the videos are posted next week.
Stay tuned for more from the main show and elsewhere. I leave you today with more images of spectacular meteorites in our ever-growing online picture gallery.
Related blog:
2011 Tucson Gem and Mineral Show: February 8–9, 2011