Hoba Meteorite: Largest known meteorite has no crater around its impact point!

Scientists believe that the flat shape of the Hoba meteorite may be responsible for its low velocity at impact. Another plausible reason which is considered is that air resistance might have slowed the meteor's speed down to around 300 meters per second: thus resulting in no impact on the crater where it fell (Namibia).

This is the reason why this large cuboid-shaped ataxite meteorite has remained intact on its 'impact' point.

No crater for Hoba

• Generally, objects of this size (about 3-by-3 meters around and 1 meter high) hit the surface of the Earth with enough force to blast a significant crater

• Due to the presence of a rare radioactive nickel isotope, experts have been able to determine the age of the meteorite, which is believed to be between 200 to 400 million years old

Discovery of the meteorite

• Lurking hidden on a farm in the central-north parts of Namibia, in the proximity of the city of Grootfontein, the Hoba meteorite was discovered by a farmer almost by chance, in 1920

• A farmer named Jacobus Hermanus Brits discovered it while ploughing his land with an ox

• He heard a loud metallic scratching sound, which caused his plough to stop suddenly

• The meteorite was covered in soil first

• Then, it was dug out and the local authorities were notified about the finding

• It was quickly deduced that it was a meteorite

• Most of the iron meteorites have been moved to the museums. But Hoba is the only exception, where the museum itself came to it

More about the Hoba meteorite

• This boulder consists mainly of 84 per cent iron and 15 per cent nickel, and as a type of iron meteorite, it is one of the most remarkable examples ever encountered on Earth's surface

• It is an ataxite type meteorite which means that it has a higher nickel content than most iron meteorites

• In 1955, the Hoba Meteorite was declared a National Monument. However, it was not until 1985 that Rossing Uranium Ltd. enabled the site as easily accessible for tourist viewing

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