Across deserts, Antarctic ice and museum collections, meteorites connect us to the wider solar system and to specific places on Earth where they were found. They can be ordinary stones or scientifically important oddities recovered by field teams and researchers.
There are 28 Examples of Meteorites, ranging from ALH 84001 to Zagami. For each entry I list the key data as Type,Mass (kg),Fall/Find (year) so you can see composition, size and provenance at a glance — you’ll find below.
How were the meteorites chosen for this list?
The selection focuses on named, documented specimens that illustrate the range of meteorite classes and discovery contexts: well-known scientific samples, representative types (chondrites, achondrites, iron, stony-iron), and items with reliable mass and fall/find records from published sources.
How should I interpret Type, Mass and Fall/Find when comparing specimens?
Use Type to group meteorites by composition and origin, Mass (kg) to gauge specimen size or sample availability, and Fall/Find to judge terrestrial exposure (witnessed falls often have less weathering). Together these fields help prioritize specimens for study, display or collecting.
Examples of Meteorites
| Name | Type | Mass (kg) | Fall/Find (year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hoba | Iron (Ataxite) | 60,000 | Find 1920 |
| Ahnighito (Cape York) | Iron (IVA) | 31,000 | Find 1894 |
| El Chaco (Campo del Cielo) | Iron (IAB) | 37,200 | Find 1969 |
| Gibeon | Iron (IVA) | 26,000 | Find 1836 |
| Sikhote-Alin | Iron (IAB) | 23,000 | Fall 1947 |
| Canyon Diablo | Iron (IAB) | 30,000 | Find 1891 |
| Willamette | Iron (IAB) | 7,045 | Find 1902 |
| Nantan | Iron (IIIAB) | 10,000 | Find 1958 |
| Allende | CV3 carbonaceous chondrite | 2,000 | Fall 1969 |
| Murchison | CM2 carbonaceous chondrite | 100 | Fall 1969 |
| Chelyabinsk | LL5 | 500 | Fall 2013 |
| Orgueil | CI1 carbonaceous chondrite | 14 | Fall 1864 |
| Tagish Lake | Carbonaceous (unique) | 10 | Fall 2000 |
| Ensisheim | Ordinary chondrite (L6) | 127 | Fall 1492 |
| Nakhla | Martian (achondrite) Nakhla | 10 | Fall 1911 |
| Zagami | Martian (basaltic achondrite) | 18 | Fall 1962 |
| Tissint | Martian (basaltic) | 12 | Fall 2011 |
| ALH 84001 | Martian orthopyroxenite | 1.94 | Find 1984 |
| NWA 7034 (Black Beauty) | Martian regolith breccia | 0.32 | Find 2011 |
| Fukang | Pallasite (Main mass) | 1,000 | Find 2000 |
| Brenham | Pallasite (Brachina?) | 4,000 | Find 1882 |
| Bendegó | Iron (IAB) | 5,360 | Find 1784 |
| Moorabie | Iron (IAB) | 2,840 | Find 1920 |
| Seymchan | Pallasite/iron | 1,000 | Find 1967 |
| Příbram | Ordinary chondrite (H5) | 5.73 | Fall 1959 |
| L’Aigle | Ordinary chondrite (L) | 3,000 | Fall 1803 |
| Allan Hills A77005 (lunar) | Lunar basaltic breccia | 0.48 | Find 1977 |
| Muonionalusta | Iron (IVA) | 600 | Find 1906 |
Images and Descriptions
Hoba
Largest known intact meteorite, found on Hoba West farm, Namibia. Massive nickel-rich iron sits in situ (~60 tonnes), notable for size and preservation; a major tourist site and scientific example of an ataxite iron meteorite.
Ahnighito (Cape York)
One of three giant Cape York masses recovered in Greenland, Ahnighito weighs about 31 tonnes. Used historically by Inuit for tools, it now resides at the American Museum of Natural History and exemplifies large iron meteorites.
El Chaco (Campo del Cielo)
El Chaco is a huge recovered mass from Argentina’s Campo del Cielo strewn field, weighing ~37.2 tonnes. Notable for size and cultural history, it illustrates the field’s numerous iron falls and long scientific study.
Gibeon
Gibeon is a widespread Namibian iron meteorite with many large fragments totaling ~26 tonnes. Famous for stunning Widmanstätten patterns used in jewelry and studied for planetary core processes; many museum specimens worldwide.
Sikhote-Alin
A dramatic witnessed fireball and shower over Russia in 1947 produced thousands of metallic fragments totaling ~23 tonnes. Noted for intact crater fields and accessible witnessed-fall documentation; many specimens in museums and research collections.
Canyon Diablo
Fragments associated with Arizona’s Meteor Crater, Canyon Diablo irons total tens of tonnes recovered. Important historically for impact science and for understanding the Meteor Crater impact event; specimens widely held in museums.
Willamette
Massive iron meteorite found in Oregon, USA, weighing ~7,045 kg. Culturally significant to local Native tribes, it’s displayed at the American Museum of Natural History and is an iconic large North American iron.
Nantan
Nantan iron from Guangxi, China, is a large field of iron masses recovered after 1958 railroad construction. Total recovered mass ~10 tonnes; notable for widespread distribution of pieces used in collections and steel-age metal studies.
Allende
Allende fell over Chihuahua, Mexico, in 1969 with ~2,000 kg recovered. Extremely important for early solar system studies because of abundant calcium–aluminum-rich inclusions; many research samples in museums and universities.
Murchison
Murchison fell in Victoria, Australia, in 1969; about 100 kg recovered. Rich in organic compounds and amino acids, it’s pivotal for studies of prebiotic chemistry and the organic inventory delivered to early Earth.
Chelyabinsk
A spectacular airburst over Chelyabinsk, Russia, produced numerous fragments in 2013; largest recovered pieces around 500 kg. Widely photographed, the event renewed interest in near-Earth hazards and fragment recovery from impact sites.
Orgueil
Orgueil fell in France in 1864 and produced ~14 kg of material. As a CI1, it’s chemically primitive and water-rich, crucial for studies of the solar nebula and organic/mineralogical inventories of primitive bodies.
Tagish Lake
Tagish Lake fell in Canada in 2000; modest total mass (~10 kg) but scientifically prized for extremely primitive, fragile carbonaceous material. Its rare composition gives insight into volatile-rich bodies and organics in the early Solar System.
Ensisheim
Historic fall in Alsace, France, observed and recovered in 1492 with a large stone kept publicly. Estimated recovered mass ~127 kg; one of the oldest documented European witnessed falls with major cultural and scientific story.
Nakhla
Nakhla fell in Egypt in 1911 with ~10 kg recovered. A famous Martian meteorite that produced early claims of biological features (later disputed), it remains key for studying Mars’ aqueous history and mineralogy.
Zagami
Zagami fell in Nigeria in 1962; ~18 kg recovered. One of the larger and best-studied Martian falls, providing basaltic igneous samples directly from Mars for geochemical and planetary evolution research.
Tissint
Tissint fell in Morocco in 2011 and was quickly recovered, totaling ~12 kg. Fresh with little terrestrial contamination, these specimens are prized for direct study of Martian volcanism and atmospheric interaction.
ALH 84001
ALH 84001 was found in Antarctic Allan Hills in 1984; about 1.94 kg. Famous for controversial microstructures once suggested as fossil life, it remains central to debates about past Martian environments.
NWA 7034 (Black Beauty)
Northwest Africa 7034, “Black Beauty,” is a rare Martian regolith breccia found in 2011 (~320 g type mass). Exceptional age and diverse components make it invaluable for Mars surface history and crustal evolution studies.
Fukang
Fukang is an eye-catching pallasite found in China around 2000; main recovered mass around 1,000 kg of gem-quality olivine in metal. Widely featured in collections and admired for translucent olivine crystals.
Brenham
Brenham pallasite field in Kansas, USA contains many wonderful olivine-bearing masses totaling thousands of kilograms. Known for gem-quality slices and long mining history, Brenham illustrates pallasite diversity and strewn-field recovery.
Bendegó
Bendegó is a large Brazilian iron found in 1784 weighing about 5,360 kg. Rescued and displayed in Rio de Janeiro, it’s a national treasure and one of the largest South American meteorites.
Moorabie
Moorabie field contains several sizable iron masses in Australia; notable specimen masses total thousands of kilograms. These recovered irons illustrate extensive strewn fields and provide material for metallurgical and cosmic exposure studies.
Seymchan
Seymchan from Russia is notable as both a coarse octahedrite and pallasite source; main masses around 1,000 kg recovered. Its mixed texture offers insight into cooling and crystallization in parent bodies; popular with collectors.
Příbram
Příbram fell over Czechoslovakia in 1959, producing ~5.73 kg of material and representing the first meteorite fall reconstructed by photographic orbit data. Important historically for linking meteors to recovered samples.
L’Aigle
Massive shower fell in Normandy, France, in 1803 with thousands of fragments totaling around 3,000 kg. The L’Aigle event was pivotal in convincing scientists that stones fall from the sky and established meteoritics as a science.
Allan Hills A77005 (lunar)
ALHA A77005 is an early Antarctic lunar find (~480 g) that expanded knowledge of Moon-derived meteorites. Antarctic recoveries like this provide diverse lunar samples outside Apollo collections for comparative planetary studies.
Muonionalusta
Muonionalusta, found in Sweden in 1906, includes large metal pieces totaling hundreds of kilograms. Its well-preserved Widmanstätten patterns and cosmic-ray exposure history make it important for core-formation and cooling-rate studies.
