Fireball in the Sky: Call for Meteorite Search in Lower Austria

On June 12, a bright fireball was observed around 11:00 PM near the West Highway between St. Pölten and Melk over Lower Austria.

Fragments could be the size of an apricot

Fragments, which are likely to be no larger than the size of an apricot, probably landed between the villages of Inning and Haindorf, according to the NHM to the APA. The descending meteor was recorded by cameras of the European Fireball Network through the glow it created in the atmosphere during its fall. Based on these images, Czech researchers have been able to calculate the search area in recent days, where remnants of the fall are most likely to be found.

If you come across a suspicious find, you should especially look for the characteristic black crust on the surface of the rock, says Andrea Patzer, curator of the meteorite collection at the NHM. If it is a fragment, the interior of the rock can stand out significantly from the dark outer shell. For their size, such pieces are often relatively heavy - especially if it is an iron meteorite.

Tips for handling suspicious finds

The experts advise that in the event of a potential find, you should first take photos from different directions and document the location with GPS coordinates using your phone. Additionally, records of the date and time of the find and notes on any unusual occurrences on site are helpful. Once this is done, the meteorite should be picked up - if possible - with aluminum foil or a plastic bag. Patzer asks to send photos and information to her (andrea.patzer@nhm.at). Here is the website for meteorite finds.

Every day, around 100 tons of extraterrestrial material fall to Earth - mainly in the form of dust. Upon entering the Earth's atmosphere, the surface of extraterrestrial objects is intensely heated, and the surrounding air molecules are ionized. This results in the formation of a plasma tail at altitudes between 120 and 80 kilometers, which is perceived as a shooting star. Fireballs are caused by larger objects, and such short-lived luminous phenomena are referred to as meteors. With more than 10,300 objects, the NHM houses one of the largest meteorite collections in the world.

Meteorite finds in Austria are rare - last in 2023

Meteorite finds are rare in this country. The latest addition to the "Austria Showcase" of the NHM meteorite hall is a fragment of the so-called "Haag Meteorite." It also landed in Lower Austria near the West Highway on October 24 of the previous year around 9:30 PM. Subsequently, a local family found fragments of the cosmic visitor, which first made contact with the roof of their house and then came to rest in the driveway. This makes the pieces Austria's first "hammer stone." This term is used when an object like the "Haag Meteorite" hits a structure built by humans.

(APA/Red)

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