A woman in her eighties discovered a stone weighing 210 grams on the roof of her cabin in Oslo, Norway. The stone has the characteristic fusion crust from having passed through the atmosphere. This is the 15th meteorite found in Norway and it could be a rare and interesting stony meteorite. Meteorite falls on roofs are extremely uncommon, but this also happened in Norway in 2006, in fact only one hour drive from this location.
In English: March 1, 2012: Impressive fireball over Southern Norway
by Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard and Anne Mette Sannes
|
Half of the 15th meteorite fall in Norway! This part was found on the ground a couple of meters from the cabin. Weight: 209 grams.
Photo: Anne Mette Sannes |
The meteorite was found in two pieces with a total weight of 585 grams.
The hole in the roof in the allotment garden caused by the meteorite.
Photo: Anne Mette Sannes
The major part (375 grams) of the meteorite was still on the roof.
Photo: Anne Mette Sannes
There are three main types of meteorites: stony, iron and stony irons.
According to geologist Hans Amundsen, we are talking about a rare kind of meteorite, probably a breccia. These originate from crushed rocks that have been transformed to solid rock. They are evidence of dramatic events taking place in the early epochs of the Solar system. Only once before, in 1884, was a breccia found in Norway.
Close up of the major part which remained in the hole.
Photo: Anne Mette Sannes
Anne Thomassen who found the meteorite (in front), her son Johnny Thomassen (right), Anne Mette Sannes and Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard
Photo: Anne Mette Sannes
The found in Oslo is the first meteorite found in Norway since July 14th, 2006. Also then a stone went through a roof, and this was the first time in sixteen years to happen in Europe. Two meteorite falls through a roof in Norway within a period of six years is quite exceptional also worldwide.
This meteorite probably originated from a spectacular fall in the evening of March 1, 2012. At 20.37, local time, a very bright fireball crossed the sky in Southern Norway. The fireball was visible from most parts of this region, and within a couple of minutes, some regions of the Eastern part of the country also experienced a sonic boom.
So far, we have received about 800 observations, and have therefore been able to estimate the track of the fireball and a possible fall area. The fireball came from a Northeasterly direction, crossed central regions of Eastern Norway and spread into numerous pieces in a belt southwestwards of Norefjell. We therefore expect that numerous meteorites have reached the ground. But observations also indicate that some pieces may have fallen some distance from the main track, and this found in Oslo supports this interpretation.
We strongly encourage people in the counties of Oslo, Akershus, Buskerud and Eastern regions of Telemark to be aware of black rocks on the ground, on roofs, in gardens and on fields.
Anne Mette Sannes and Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard analyzing observations in order to pinpoint the track of the fireball and probable area of impact. Click on the picture to obtain it in a higher resolution.
Photo: Trym Norman Sannes
This fireball was observed by Arne Danielsen some years ago. It is among the brightest fireballs ever imaged.
Click on the picture to obtain it in a higher resolution.
Photo: Arne Danielsen
This meteorite fell near the city of Moss in July 2006. It was the first meteorite to hit a roof in Europe in 16 years.
Photo: Morten Bilet
Forsiden
