astronomy
Treasure from space: Researchers assume meteorite discovery
A suspected meteorite piece was found by meteorite hunters in a field near Ribbeck. photo
© Cevin Dettlaff/dpa
A few days ago a mini asteroid fell over Brandenburg. Researchers and collectors spontaneously set out to look for remains of the celestial body. Apparently with success.
According to experts, the discovery near Nauen in Havelland, which was real after an initial examination, initially resembled the proverbial needle in a haystack. But then there were even more finds that are now being examined.
“It is very, very, very likely that it is a meteorite, the first discovery of this remnant of the asteroid that burned up here,” said the curator of the meteorite collection at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Ansgar Greshake, to Deutsche Press agency. “This is indeed a special find.” He belongs to the Aubrites group. “This material is very rare.” The find looks very fresh, the black crust is shiny.
Finds in the strewn field near Ribbeck
According to the Museum of Natural History, a four-person search team from Poland found the parts. The “Spiegel” first reported on it. The find lies in a so-called scattered field, which researchers calculated after the asteroid burned up. “We assume that this was a stroke of luck and is one of the largest pieces lying in the strewn field,” said geoscientist Lutz Hecht from the Museum für Naturkunde. The whole thing is a sensation for research because everything from the impact to the discovery situation can be well documented.
The museum’s researchers and their cooperation partners, including the Free University of Berlin and the German Aerospace Center, then found several more stones themselves. They discovered suspected fragments of the asteroid, both almost the size of a walnut, the museum said. Over the next few days, the pieces will be examined in the museum’s laboratories for their composition and origin. The collectors from Poland want to sell their finds – this can be quite lucrative, especially if it is an unusual find.
The tiny asteroid 2024 BX1 burned up near Berlin on Sunday night. The fireball could be seen from far away in the sky. The US space agency Nasa had announced it for Sunday morning near Nennhausen in Havelland, which is west of Berlin. Meteorites are the pieces that arrive on Earth from an asteroid.
Joy about the find
The mini asteroid has been the subject of numerous comments on social media. Many curious people then made their way to Havelland. A team from the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the Museum of Natural History and the Free University of Berlin has also been searching for meteorites since Sunday. The DLR was pleased with the find.
“This is of course excellent news,” said Jörn Helbert, head of the Planetary Laboratories Department at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Berlin. “Now that the first pieces have been found, we are sure we will find more very soon.” He is looking forward to examining such a fresh meteorite. “We are currently working on the exact classification,” said Helbert. “Depending on the type of meteorite, there could be strong connections to our currently active space missions.”
This is not the first time that fragments of small asteroids have been found. For example, a fireball lit up over Elmshorn in Schleswig-Holstein at the end of April 2023. Shortly afterwards, chunks of the meteorite weighing a few hundred grams to several kilograms were found.
Back to Brandenburg: After the group of Polish collectors presented their find on Friday, the search for more stones continued. “Back to work,” said one of the team.
There is also hope that Brandenburg will be immortalized in the name of the asteroid so far only known as 2024 BX1. “Ribbeck” is a favorite because of the locations, it was said at a press conference.