| SpiritRock Shop |
| Sikhote-Alin Meteorites |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
Click on any photo to see a larger version
 |
| Rocks from Outer Space! |
Fall Recorded: 1947
Location: Sikhote-Alin Mountains, Primorye, Russia
Strewnfield: 1.3 km ellipse
Sikhote-Alin Meteorite (also spelled Sikhotae-Alin)
The Sikhote-Alin meteorite fall was a massive impact event that occurred on February 12, 1947, approximately
440 km northeast of Vladivostok, Russia.
Fall
At around 10:30 am on February 12, 1947, eyewitnesses in the Sikhote-Alin Mountains, Primorye, Russia,
observed a fireball brighter than the sun that came out of the north and descended at an angle of about 41
degrees. The bright flash and the deafening sound of the fall were observed for three hundred kilometers
around the point of impact near the village of Paseka (approximately 440 km northeast of Vladivostok). A
smoke train, estimated at 32 km long, remained in the sky for several hours.
As the meteorite entered the atmosphere, traveling at a speed of about 14 km/s, it began to break apart, and
the fragments fell together. At an altitude of about 5.6 km, the largest mass apparently broke up in a violent
explosion.
The strewn field for this meteorite covered an elliptical area of about 1.3 km. Some of the fragments made
craters, the largest of which was about 26 m across and 6 m deep. Fragments of the meteorite were also
driven into the surrounding trees.
Description
Specimens of the Sikhote-Alin Meteorite are basically of two types;
Individuals
Individuals are meteorite specimens showing fusion crust and signs of ablation. These first probably broke off
of the main object early in the descent. These pieces are characterized by regmaglypts (cavities resembling
thumb prints) in the surface of each specimen.
(Ablation is defined as the removal of material from the surface of an object by vaporization, chipping, or other
erosive processes. The term occurs in space physics associated with atmospheric reentry)
Shrapnel
Shrapnels are meteorite specimens showing evidence of violent fragmentation. The second type is fragments
which were either torn apart in the atmosphere during the descent or blasted apart upon impact. Most were
probably the result of the explosion at 5.6 km altitude.
Size
Sikhote-Alin is a massive fall. The overall size has been estimated at just under 900,000 kg. A large specimen
is on display in Moscow, and a great number of smaller specimens have made their way into private collections.
Structure and chemical composition
The Sikhote-Alin meteorite is classified as a coarse octahedrite type IIB. It is composed of approximately 93%
iron, 5.9% nickel, 0.42% cobalt, 0.46% phosphorus, and 0.28% sulfur, with trace amounts of germanium and
iridium. Minerals present include taenite, plessite, rhabites, troilite, chromite, kamacite, and schreibersite.
Sikhote-Alin displays a beautiful pattern of Widmanstatten lines when sliced and etched. It is the amount of
nickel relative to the amount of iron present that creates this crystalline pattern. This pattern is only present in
etched meteorites and is one way of determining the authenticity of a suspected meteorite find.
Iron meteorites are extremely rare. Of all of the meteorites that fall on the earth, scientists estimate that only
about five percent are Iron Meteorites.
| Item # ME6SA107001 Sikhote-Alin Shrapnel 78g Iron Meteorite |
| 78 grams of stunning Sikhote-Alin shrapnel meteorite A 78 gram natural (just as it was found) Sikhote-Alin Shrapnel Meteorite measuring 65mm x 34mm x 22mm Nice orientation, flow and some rollover visible on this specimen. This meteorite is natural, un-cut and un-polished with no coatings. |
| Item # MESA05100927 Sikhote-Alin Individual 45g with thumbprints |
| Sikhote-Alin nickel-iron meteorite from Russia. Iron Coarsest Octahedrite, 45 grams. Approximate dimensions: 1 1/2" x 1 1/8" x 5/8". This nicely shaped specimen is a complete individual. Much of the surface is covered with the smoothly formed small regmaglypts most often sought by collectors. Some of the surface of the specimen is more coarsely textured, while still showing many rounded impressions. Because this was a relatively recent fall (1947), Sikhote-Alins have little or no rust, and minimal weathering. This allows even the smallest stones to maintain crisp surface detail. |
| Item # MSA06110042 Sikhote-Alin Shrapnel 19.3g Iron Meteorite $42.00 |
| 19.3 grams of awesome Sikhote-Alin shrapnel meteorite A 19.3 gram natural (just as it was found) Sikhote-Alin Shrapnel Meteorite measuring 24mm x 22mm x 11.5mm Nice orientation, flow and some rollover visible on this specimen. This meteorite is natural, un-cut and un-polished with no coatings. |
| Photo in Natural Sunlight |
| Photo in Incandescent light |
| Item # MSA06119026 Sikhote-Alin Shrapnel 62.5g Iron Meteorite $136.00 |
| 62.5 grams of "Out of This World" Sikhote-Alin shrapnel meteorite A 62.5 gram natural (just as it was found) Sikhote-Alin Shrapnel Meteorite measuring 40mm x 32.4mm x 16.6mm Nice orientation, flow and some rollover visible on this specimen. This meteorite is natural, un-cut and un-polished with no coatings. |
| Notice to Our Customers We will be closed from May 18th through August 15th 2012 to relocate our business. Orders placed during this time will not be shipped until after August 15th. Purchases or Reservations will be honored in the date order they are received. 1st purchaser is served 1st. |