The Hoba meteorite: 66 Tons of Iron and Nickle But No Crater
Every day the Earth is hit with 100 pounds or more of meteoric materials. Mostly bits and pieces of asteroids and other space rocks composed mainly of rock, iron, and nickel. They have been in space for billions of years. Luckily when they fall to Earth, there is rarely any damage.
Some meteors make it into the news some never even get noticed. Others can wipe out entire species and change the face of the Earth forever. Like that one that managed to wipe out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.
Some of you may remember in 1992. A far less hazardous meteorite fell to the Earth. About the size of a bowling ball, it crashed into a car parked in the driveway of a Peekskill, New York Home. With a loud bang, the meteor crashed into the 1980 Chevrolet Malibu. And for its size, the rock was astoundingly heavy. Weighing about 18 pounds. Other than the unlucky car there were no casualties.
In The Strange Hoba meteorite case. Possibly the strangest of all meteorites. Which is deemed to be the worlds biggest meteorite fragment. Weighing 66 tones. Left no impact crater when it fell to the Earth. Scientists have proposed that the massive rock. Slowed down as it entered the Earth's atmosphere. It apparently slowed down so much that it only fell at terminal velocity. As it impacted the ground where it fell in Namibia.
That's why the Hoba Meteorite remained intact. When it was being excavated. This immense iron rock was never moved from its original impact point.
Laying hidden on a farm in north-central Namibia, Africa. Close to the city of Grootfontein. The Hoba Meteorite was found almost by chance by a local farmer.
The Farmer Hermanus Brits literally tripped on the meteor in 1920. When he was working at his Hoba farm. From which the meteor got its name. Brits later described the moment he discovered the meteorite. Only the top part of the rock was visible. The color was black. The soil all around it was chalky. “I scratched the rock with my knife and saw there was a shine beneath the surface,” He said in one statement
After Brits informed local authorities about the find, it was quickly discovered that this was a massive meteorite. The meteorite is made of 84 percent iron and 15 percent nickel, and as a class of iron meteorite, it is the best example ever found on the Earth’s surface.
Only about 5 percent of meteorites. That fall to Earth are similar in their composition to the Hoba meteorite. They are also large, but not as large as Hoba, at least, until a bigger one falls to Earth.
Because of a presence of a rare radioactive nickel isotope. Experts have been able to learn the approximate age of the Hoba meteorite. Which is estimated between 190 million and 410 million years old.
It ended its space flight about 80,000 years ago when it fell to earth without leaving a crater.
The first notable scientific studies of the Hoba meteorite were produced by 1929. Ever since then the megalithic meteor has been gaining more and more fame. Some vandals over the years have chipped off small pieces of the meteor. And to help protect the massive Hoba meteor. Local authorities have developed a manageable visitor site around it.
The Hoba meteorite was named as a national monument in Namibia back in the year 1955. In 1979 that status was briefly canceled then renewed and the site surrounding the meteor extended. By the end, of the 80's and information center was placed on the site.
I doubt Namibia is the first place you think about visiting when you think of your next adventure vacation. But hey where else can you visit a massive iron meteor that mysteriously never left a crater.
To my current followers thank you for being a part of this community. Please remember to help us grow by liking and sharing.
If this is your first time here I would love to have you subscribe to Mildly Entertaining. The channel that finds entertaining subjects you may not have heard of and shares it with you.
Share your thoughts, stories, and suggestion below.
Previously On Mildly Entertaining
The King Who Became a Pirate.
Become King, wage war, appoint a drottsete, become a pirate.
Click here to watch the video.
Thank you for watching/reading.