6 the largest of the meteorites found on Earth

Falling to the Earth space objects of a natural origin most often burn up in the atmosphere. For this we must thank our dense atmosphere. But she sometimes there are interruptions in the work. Especially when we are talking about a fairly large space objects. In this case, even the dense atmosphere do not always have time to incinerate the intruder, and the "lucky" fall on the ground. Falling on the surface, they can lie so thousands of years, completely unnoticed. But in the end, their age comes glory.

Space blocks of a larger size are called asteroids. These guys are much more dangerous and capable of causing far more problems for mother Earth than meteorites and especially meteoroid. Many have heard the story that about 65 million years ago lived and not twissie on Earth, the dinosaurs suddenly became extinct. They say that this case is just one of them, but rather the consequences that he created. A similar story could happen in 2013, but we were lucky and space object 2012 DA14 on the distance of 27 km. 743

Today let's consider six of the largest space rocks that have fallen on our planet, to preserve its integrity, and subsequently scientists found.

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Willamette

Photos of the meteorite taken in the American Museum of natural history in new York in 1911

The Willamette is the largest meteorite ever found in the USA. It weighs more than 15.5 tons, and the size is around 7.8 square meters. Willamette is composed mainly of iron and Nickel. It is believed that fell to Earth about 1 billion years ago.

Meteor has a very interesting history. He was discovered by an immigrant from Wales and a miner Ellis Hughes in 1902, who immediately realized that before him is not just a big rock. In the end, he spent three months to move the discovery on their land. After that, he began to charge visitors 25 cents per inspection. However, the fraud was quickly exposed, and the right to the meteorite got to the Oregon steel company.

In 1905 the meteorite was purchased by a private individual for 26 thousand dollars, and in 1906 donated to the American Museum of natural history in new York, where he is now exhibited for visitors. After the transfer of ownership of the meteorite was said tribe of Indians from Oregon. They referred to the fact that the meteorite was a sort of religious totem or necessary for the annual ceremony. But as by this time around of the meteorite have already built the main structure of the Museum, pass it was impossible, without destroying the walls of the Museum. In the end the parties came to an agreement that once a year the members of the tribe are allowed to conduct their rituals directly at the Museum.

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Mbazi

Mbozi Meteorite was discovered in Tanzania in 1930. The size of it about 3 meters and it weighs 25 tons, or nearly twice as heavy as Willamette. Mbozi is a sacred stone for the people of Tanzania, who call him "kimondo" ("meteor" from Swahili).

Interestingly, around Mbozi was not discovered crater, which may indicate that he fell to the Ground at a tangent and most likely rolled from the impact site like a boulder. When you open Mbosi it was partly sunken into the ground, so people first dug a pit near him, leaving a small plot of land directly under the stone, which later became his pedestal.

The Analysis showed that Mbozi 90 percent consists of iron. About 8 percent of its composition is necessary for Nickel. The rest – sulfur, copper and phosphorus. It is assumed that the meteorite fell to Earth several thousand years ago, but scientists are surprised by the fact that he had not been in all that time, weathering and erosion. Scientists also note that he is not burned in the atmosphere due to its size, and that remained intact in the fall, that is, on the contrary, insufficient for this mass.

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Cape York

The Meteorite Cape York is the third largest of the found meteorites on Earth. He fell on our planet around 10,000 years ago. Named after the place where was discovered the largest of its fragments, weighing 31 tons on the island of Greenland. The dimensions are 3.4 x 2.1 x 1.7 m. Near it were found two fragments weighing 3 tons and 400 pounds respectively. However, the total weight of the meteorite is estimated at 58.2 tonnes.

The First mention of this meteorite appeared in 1818. Scottish Explorer John Ross, who sought Northern sea route and discovered the unknown before the settlement of the Eskimos, was surprised that unfamiliar with the metal men used in a fishery arrowheads and knives, apparently made of iron. The Eskimos told him that the source metal is a kind of "iron mountain", the location information which, unfortunately, behind the veil of history was lost. The analysis brought to England subjects it was found that they contain a very high concentration of Nickel is higher than any other natural source on Earth.

One of the fragments of the meteorite, with the name Akihito. Nearby eskimo

Despite the numerous attempts to find the location of a meteorite, it was not possible until 1894. Then it was discovered by an American Navigator and Explorer Robert Peary, who, thanks to the brave eskimo conductor came to the right place and found three chip. Later they moved ships to the American Museum of natural history.

Other parts of the meteorite, including a 20-ton fragment called Apallic, was found from 1911 to 1984. At the moment the meteorite is on display in the Geological Museum of the University of Copenhagen.

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Bacubirito

The Largest ever found meteorite in Mexico. It weighs about as much as Apallic — about 20-22 tons — when the size is 4.25 x 2 x 1.75 m. it Consists mainly of iron.

Bacubirito was discovered in 1893 geologist Gilbert Ellis Bailey, who is on assignment for Chicago magazine «Interocean to Central and South America» went to Mexico and dug up the meteorite with the help of local residents. Now exhibited in the science Center, Centro de Ciencias de Sinaloa.

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El Chaco

El Chaco is the second largest of the found meteorites on Earth, and its weight is almost two times larger than the meteorite Bacubirito. Interestingly, El Chaco is only one of the fragments of meteorites called Campo del Cielo. These guys are responsible for the formation of the crater area of 60 square kilometers in the Argentine town of the same name.

As mentioned above, El Chaco is the second largest meteorite on Earth. It weighs 37 tons. It was discovered in 1969. Since he was buried under the ground, to find it failed with a metal detector.

This meteorite is related to an interesting story. One of the "hunters of meteorites" named Robert Haag tried to steal El Chaco, but was caught by a local officer in the Argentine police.

Near this place in 2016, weighing almost 31 tons, which was considered a part of El Chaco.

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Goba

And still the title as the largest of the found meteorites belong to the giant Sochi. It was discovered in Namibia in 1920 farm owner, spacewalk the ground. Since then, he is never transported.

Weight Goba almost twice the weight of El Chaco, and approximately 66 tons. It is believed that on Earth he fell about 80,000 years ago. According to one theory, the meteorite in the fall is not absorbed into the ground due to its shape – it is very flat.

Sochi is regarded as the greatest on Earth piece of iron of natural origin. Its volume is 9 cubic meters. In 1955 the government of South-West Africa the meteorite was declared a national monument. In the 80-ies of the meteorite and the land on which it is located, was donated to the state. Since it is a place of tourist attraction.

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