ABA PANU L3 CHONDRITE METEORITE SPECIMENS

The Aba Panu meteorite is a chondrite that fell over Oyo State, Nigeria, on April 19, 2018. NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies detected the bolide around 2:00 PM that day, traveling over 45,000 miles per hour as it entered Earth’s atmosphere. Shortly after, the meteor exploded approximately 30 kilometers above the surface, scattering fragments over the village of Aba Panu and the towns of Ipapo and Tede to the north.

This fall is one of only seven documented L3 chondrite events, and it’s a remarkable specimen. Some pieces display poorly developed regmaglypts, though fusion crust is rare. Classified as an L3 chondrite, it features a dense collection of large, sometimes armored chondrules embedded in a gray matrix, with striking nickel-iron grains scattered throughout. Aba Panu provides a fascinating glimpse into the early history of the solar system.