Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Space
Space
Science
Robert Lea

Rare iron meteorite could help reveal secrets of early solar system

a dark, shiny iron meteorite rests on a white surface

Scientists have studied a rare iron meteorite in detail, discovering what orbit its parent body occupied before crashing into Earth. It is the first iron meteorite for which such orbit has been calculated.

The 12-inch-long (30 centimeters), 30-pound (14 kilograms) chunk of space rock fell to Earth after a fireball erupted over Sweden in 2020. Iron meteorites such as this constitute just around 2% of the space rocks that make it to Earth's surface, so the object became a rare and valuable sample for researchers. 

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.