Meteorite Find 100-Year Anniversary
July 21, 2020
Photographer: Petr Horálek
Summary Author: Petr Horálek
Almost exactly a century ago the largest meteorite ever found on the ground was discovered. In 1920, farmer Jacobus Hermanus Brits, came upon the cosmic stone while plowing one of his fields near Grootfontein, Namibia. Shortly after the discovery and scientific analysis, the Hoba West meteorite was classified as an iron-type (composed of about 84 percent iron, 16 percent nickel and other elements). It fell to Earth about 80 thousand years ago. Its unusual flat shape, with dimensions almost 9 ft (3 m) by 9 ft by 3 ft (1 m) and weight of around 66 tons, created virtually no crater. In 1955, it was declared a Namibian national monument. In the image, taken in September 2015, I’m standing on this cosmic stone, gazing at the southern Milky Way. Photo taken on September 17, 2015.
Photo Details: Canon 6D Baader IR modified camera; Samyang 24 mm lens; f2.8; ISO 10000; cut of 31×15 s panorama (captured from tripod).