UKFAll Press Release 14th May 2024
A bright fireball recorded over the UK in the early hours of Monday 6th May likely dropped meteorites in an area south-east of Stoke-on-Trent, according to scientists from the UK Fireball Alliance (UKFAll).
UKFAll are now asking members of the public in the area to be on the lookout for any rocks that appear unusual or out-of-place.
Dr Luke Daly from UKFAll said “Meteorites are rocks that naturally arrive on Earth from space and can be studied to understand how planets and the Solar System formed. Our cameras tracked the fireball as one of these rocks entered the atmosphere at 4 am last Monday morning, and we estimate that maybe 500 g of meteorite landed near Stoke-on-Trent. If you’re in the local area and have found any dark looking rocks in the last week, we want to hear from you!”
Dr Ashley King from UKFAll added “The meteorite won’t be hot and is safe to handle although, if possible, please don’t pick it up with bare hands as that will contaminate the rock. It’s probably a glossy black or brown colour or may have a glassy outer surface and may be in a place where rocks aren’t usually found, such as on a lawn or footpath. We don’t want anyone taking risks looking for it or going into areas where you shouldn’t. But if you do find something out-of-place, we’ll definitely be interested to check it out.”
This recent fall comes just over three years after a meteorite was discovered in the town of Winchcombe in the Cotswolds after famously landing on a family’s driveway! It’s been a busy week for skywatchers and the meteorite camera networks with the widely visible aurora last weekend and another bright fireball the night before seen by seven cameras simultaneously, though researchers believe that one fully burnt up in the atmosphere.
For more details on recovering meteorites visit www.ukfall.org.uk/report-a-meteorite/ and please make sure that you get permission from land and property owners before visiting any land. If you think you’ve found a piece of last week’s meteorite fall then please send details and the coordinates to us by emailing meteorite [at] ukfall.org.uk. Please don’t put a magnet near it or touch it with your bare hands — instead pick it up in some aluminium foil or a clean and dry sandwich bag.
Guidance for Editors
The UK Fireball Alliance (UKFAll) is a collaboration of camera networks that aims to record meteors and fireballs and recover freshly fallen meteorites in the UK. It was established in 2018 and led to the successful recovery of the Winchcombe meteorite in 2021. UKFAll is supported by UKRI’s Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).
The UK Fireball Alliance 