While you might be able to identify this stone just by looking at it, if you were to place a strong magnet to it you would most likely find that it’s magnetic.
And if you were to hold this stone in your hand, you’d probably note that it’s much more dense than other stones of a similar size.
What do you think it is?
What’s This Rock?
The stone in the above images is a meteorite. More specifically, it’s the Nantan Meteorite from the northern Guangxi Province in South China. The fireball that this meteorite created was witnessed and documented by the Chinese in May or June of 1516 A.D., but samples were first recovered & recognized much later in the mid-20th century.
A Little About Meteorites
Meteorites are fascinating geological specimens that originate from beyond our planet. These space rocks come in a variety of forms, ranging from dense, iron-rich objects to more fragile, stony compositions. What unites them is their extraterrestrial provenance – they are fragments of asteroids, comets, or even other planetary bodies that have broken off and made the perilous journey through Earth’s atmosphere.
As meteorites hurtle towards the ground, the intense heat and friction of atmospheric entry can melt and reshape their exteriors, creating the distinctive “fusion crust” that many specimens display. This molten layer protects the delicate inner structure of the meteorite during its fiery descent.
For collectors the discovery of a verified meteorite can be really exciting. Suspected meteorite samples are rigorously analyzed and classified, with the most noteworthy additions finding their way into museum collections around the world. The thrill of holding a tangible piece of another world in your hand is can be a profound experience.
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