Meteorite Sikhote Alin – Russia

The Sikhote-Alin meteorite is one of the most famous meteorites that has fallen to Earth. This massive iron meteorite fell on February 12, 1947, in Eastern Siberia, Russia, near the Sikhote-Alin mountain range, hence its name. The Sikhote-Alin meteorite entered the Earth's atmosphere at a speed of approximately 14 kilometers per second. It exploded at a very low altitude of about 5.6 kilometers (3.5 miles) above the ground. This explosion was so bright that it was observed and heard up to 300 kilometers from the impact site and left behind a trail of smoke and dust that was visible for several hours after the impact.

The Sikhote-Alin meteorite is classified as a type IIAB iron meteorite, which means it contains a high percentage of iron with a smaller amount of nickel and other trace elements. Its total mass is estimated to be around 70 tons, and upon impact, it broke into many pieces, leaving thousands of craters in the impact area. The larger pieces are characterized by deep regmaglypts, which are thumbprint-like indentations on the surface of the meteorite created by erosion during its passage through the atmosphere.

This fall was significant in its scale and the way it was recorded—it is one of the largest recorded falls of an iron meteorite in history and was witnessed by many, allowing for very precise determination of the fall site.