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MeteoriteTesting.org

Meteorite Testing, Verification, Authentication and Appraisal.

Identification Pictures of known meteorites

For reference only

 
     
     
 

"Meteorite" or "Meteorwrong"?

  
   
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A

B

C

 
 

From photographs, it's not easy to tell.

Samples "A", "B", and "C". One or more or all are actual authenticated and researched meteorites. From the photographs alone can you tell which?

Samples "A" and "B" are meteorites, "C" is not. Sample "A" is a 1.8kg specimen of the Admire pallasite. Sample B is a "right-out-of-the-ground, 970 gram Canyon Diablo iron meteorite. Sample C is an 1130 gram foundry byproduct.

Please don't email us with your photos. You may have found a meteorite but as you can see from the above, only hands-on examination and testing can give you a definitive answer if your sample is meteoritical or not.

 
     
     
 

Meteorites are "rocks", not from Earth, but from somewhere else in the solar system.

Because they contain some of the same mineralogy - plagioclase, pyroxene, olivine, etc., weathering can cause most that have been here for a while to look like Earth rocks. Similarly, the weathering of Earth rocks can make some resemble meteorites.

The pictures on this page are of authenticated, well-studied meteorites, presented here to show their visual diversity and are for reference only.

As you can see from the pictures that follow, they all look different; there is no single "general" appearance. Maybe you have found a rock that looks like one of them or maybe you found a rock that looks different than any other rocks in the area. Perhaps the rock you found is a little heavier or has an exterior that is darker than any surrounding rocks. This is how most meteorites are found - by someone who notices something different or odd about a rock and decides to have it examined. Keep in mind though that "odd", "different" , "heavy" or "strange" does not by itself make it a meteorite.

  
   
Rare regolith breccia, impact-melt, enstatite meteorite {short description of image} {short description of image}
Abee, Canada, EH4 chondrite. Fell 1952. Adzhi-Bogdo, Mongolia, H6-3 chondrite. Allende, Mexico, CV3 carbonaceous chondrite, Fell 1969.
     
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Andover, Maine, L6 chondrite, Fell 1898. Bison, Kansas, LL6 chondrite, found 1958. Bruderheim, Canada, L6 chondrite, Fell 1960.
     
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Cat Mountain, Arizona, L5 chondrite, found 1981. Claxton, Georgia, L6 chondrite, Fell 1984. Cleo Springs, Oklahoma, H4, found 1960
     
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Bruderheim, Canada, L6 chondrite, Fell 1960. Danville, Alabama, L6 chondrite, Fell 1868. Del Rio, Texas, IIF Iron meteorite, found 1965.
     
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Admire, Kansas, Pallasite, found 1881. Farmington, Kansas, L5 chondrite, Fell 1890. Allen, Texas, H4 chondrite, found 1923.
     
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Parnallee, India, LL3.6 chondrite, Fell 1857. Pillistfer, Estonia, EL6 chondrite, Fell 1863. Selma, Alabama, H4 chondrite, found 1906
     
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Vulcan, Canada, H6 chondrite, found 1962. Zagami, Nigeria, Achondrite, ASHE, Fell 1962. Bath, South Dakota, H4 chondrite, Fell 1892.
     
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Apt, France, L6 chondrite, Fell 1803. Barbotan, France, H5 chondrite, Fell 1790. Cape of Good Hope, IVB Iron meteorite, found 1793.
     
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Ensisheim, France, LL6, Fell 1492. Estherville, Iowa, Mesosiderite, Fell 1879. Kenna, New Mexico, Ureilite, Fell 1972.
     
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Kesen, Japan, H4 chondrite, Fell 1850. Kyushu, Japan, L6 chondrite, Fell 1886. Mount Edith, Australia, IIIAB, found 1913.
     
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Ozona, Texas, H6 chondrite, found 1929. Ankobar, Ethiopa, H4 chondrite, Fell 1942. Mullberry Draw, Texas, L5 chondrite, found 1963.
     
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Palodura, Texas, IIIE iron, found 1935. Pipe Creek, Texas, H6 chondrite, found 1887. Plains, Texas, H5 chondrite, found 1964.
     
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Umbarger, Texas, L3/6 chondrite, found 1954. Wayside, Texas, H6 chondrite, found 1973. Wellington, Texas, H5 chondrite, found 1955.
     
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Wellman (a), Texas, H5 chondrite, Found 1940. Dresden, Canada, H6 chondrite, Fell 1939. Belle Plaine, Texas, L6 chondrite, Found 1950.
     
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Clovis (no.1), New Mexico, H3.6 chondrite, found 1961. Eagle, Nebraska, EL6 chondrite, Fell 1946. Comanche, Texas, L5 chondrite, found 1956.
     
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Siena, Italy, LL5 chondrite, Fell 1794. Kerilis, France, H5 chondrite, Fell 1874. Chico, New Mexico, L6 chondrite, Found 1954.
     
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Alamogodo, New Mexico, H5 chondrite, found 1938. Allegan, Michigan, H5 chondrite, Fell 1899. Burnabbie, Australia, H5 chondrite, 1965.
   
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Weston, Connecticut, H4 chondrite, Fell 1807. Sand Creek, Kansas, H5 chondrite, found 1986. Morton, Texas, H6 chondrite, found 1980.
     
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Beaver, Oklahoma, L5 chondrite, found 1940. Bjurbole, Finland, LL4 chondrite, Fell 1899. Barratta, Australia, L4 chondrite, found 1845.
     
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Zag, Morocco, H3-6 chondrite, Fell 1998. Billygoat Donga, Australia, L6 chondrite, found 1962. Cole Creek, Nebraska, H5 chondrite, found 1991.
     
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Beaver Creek, Canada, H5 chondrite, Fell 1893. Cumberland Falls, Kentucky, Aubrite, Fell 1919. Blackwell, Oklahoma, L5 chondrite, Fell 1906.
     
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Carnegie, Oklahoma, L6 chondrite, found 1963. Belly River, Canada, H6 chondrite, found 1943. Beyrout, Lebanon, LL3.8 chondrite, Fell 1921.
     
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Girgenti, Italy, L6 chondrite, Fell 1853. Marion, Iowa, L6 chondrite, Fell 1847. Ausson, France, L5 chondrite, Fell 1858.
     
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Abernathy, Texas, L6 chondrite, found 1941. Adrian, Texas, H4 chondrite, found 1936. Ashmore, Texas, H5 chondrite, found 1969.
     
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Bledsoe, Texas, H4 chondrite, found 1970.. Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, L6 chondrite, Fell 1923. Briscoe, Texas, L5 chondrite, found 1940.
     
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Modoc, Kansas, L6 chondrite, Fell 1905. Brownfield, Texas, H3.7 chondrite, found 1937. Brownfield 1964, Texas, H5 chondrite, found 1964.
     
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Hayes Center, Nebraska, L6 chondrite, found 1941. Nardoo (1), Australia, H5 chondrite, found 1944. Berduc, Argentina, L6 chondrite, Fell 2008.
     
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Battle Mountain, Nevada, L6 chondrite, Fell 2012. Alfianello, Italy, L6 chondrite, Fell 1883. Ash Creek, Texas, L6 chondrite, Fell 2009.
     
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Imilac (whole), Chile, Palasite, found 1822. Kosice, Slovakia, H5 chondrite, Fell 2010. Chelybinsk, Russia, LL5 chondrite, Fell 2013.
     
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Harleton, Texas, L6 chondrite, Fell 1961. Bensour, Algeria, LL6 chondrite, Fell 2002. Breja, Algeria, LL6, 2010.
     
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Sylacauga, Alabama, H4 chondrite, Fell 1954. Buzzard Coulee, Canada, H4 chondrite, Fell 2008. Dong Ujimqin Qi, China, Mesosiderite, Fell 1995.
   
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Mossgiel, Australia, L4 chondrite, found 1967. Forestburg (a), Texas, L4 chondrite, found 1957. Chergach, Mali, H5 chondrite, Fell 2007.
     
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Norton County, Kansas, Aubrite, Fell 1948. Bondoc, Philippines, Mesosiderite, found 1956. New Deal, Texas, H6 chondrite, found 2010.
     
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Imilac, Chile, Pallasite, found 1822. Karoonda, Australia, carbonaceous chondrite, CK4, Fell 1930. Slovak, Arkansas, H5 chondrite, found 1962.
     
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Arriba, Colorado, L5 chondrite, found 1936. Bishopville, South Carolina, Aubrite, Fell 1843. Kelly, Colorado, LL4 chondrite, found 1937.
     
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Marilia, Brazil, H4 chondrite, Fell 1971. Julesburg, Colorado, L3.6 chondrite, found 1983. Burns Flat, Oklahoma, L6 chondrite, found 1971.
     
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Elm Creek, Kansas, H4 chondrite, found 1906. Salla, Finland, L6 chondrite, found 1963. Thika, Kenya, L6 chondrite, Fell 2011.
     
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Juvinas, France, Eucrite, Fell 1821. Reid 013, Australia, Brachinite, found 1991. Grayton, Florida, H5 chondrite, found 1983.
   
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Bluff (a),Texas, L5, found 1878. Bluff (b) Texas, L4, found 1917., Axtel Texas, CV3, found 1943.
     
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Burkett, Texas, IA, found 1913. Brownfield 1937, Texas, found 1937. Brownfield 1964, Texas, H5, found 1964.
     
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Bartlett, Texas, IIIAB, found 1938. Allen, Texas, H4, found 1923. Barwise, Texas, H5, found 1950.
     
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Dalhart, Texas, H5, found 1968. Blanket, Texas, L6, Fell 1909. Calliham, Texas, H4, found 1923.
     
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Orgueil, France, CI1, Fell 1894. Bonita Springs, Florida, H5, found 1938. Katol, India, L6, Fell 2012..
     
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Nakhla, Egypt, ANAK, Fell 1911. Al Rais, Saudi Aribia, CR2-AN, Fell 1957. Estherville iron "pellet", Iowa, Mesosideerite, Fell 1879.
     
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Ovid, Colorado, H6, found 1939. Waconda, Kansas, L6, found 1873. Tolar, H4, found 1972.
     
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Wiluna, Australia, H5, Fell 1967. Tuxtuac, Mexico, LL5, Fell 1975. West Forrest, Australia, H5, found 1971.
     
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Owasco, Nebraska, L6, found 1984. Stalldalen, Sweden, H5, 1876. Gross-Divina, Slovakia, H5, Fell 1837.
     
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Plainview 1917, Texas, H5, 191.7. Rowton, England, IIIAB, Fell 1876. Trenzano, Italy, H3/4, Fell 1856.
     
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Walters, Oklahoma, L6, Fell 1946. Wellman (c) Texas, H4, 1964. Warden, Australia, H5, 1989.
     
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Wethersfield 1982, Connnecticut, L6, 1982. Melrose (a) New Mexico, L5, 1933. Glorietta Mountain, New Mexico, Pallasite, 1884.
     
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Orange River, Africa, IIIB 1855. Taiban, New Mexico, L5, 1934. Staunton, Virginia, IIIE, 1869.
     
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Jelica, Serbia, LL6, found 1889. Estacado, Texas, H6, found 1883. Edmonson (b), Texas, H4, found 1981.
     
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Edmonson (a), Texas, H4 found 1981. Collescipoli, Italy, H5, Fell 1890. Mossgiel, Australia, L4, found 1967.
     
     

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