Russian Meteorite Lands at Field Museum
On February 15, 2013 a fireball exploded over the Chelyabinsk district of Russia. The shock wave caused significant damage and injuries to many in the area. This meteor was the largest object to fall on Earth in almost 100 years, with an estimated mass of about 11,000 metric tons. On April 9, The Field Museum received several pieces of the Chelyabinsk Meteorite totaling about two pounds thanks to a generous donation from meteorite collector Terry Boudreaux. The meteorite pieces will be housed in the Museum's Robert A. Pritkzer Center for Meteoritics and Polar Studies, which holds more than 6,500 meteorites, making it the largest non-government meteorite collection in the world. The Chelyabinsk Meteorite, like all meteorites in the Museum’s collection, will be available for study to scientists from all over the world. The Chelyabinsk Meteorite is now on display in the Museum's new "Science Newsflash" exhibition case in Stanley Field Hall.
