WINCHCOMBE METEORITES SPECIMENS

The Winchcombe meteorite is a carbonaceous chondrite that fell onto a driveway in England on the evening of February 28, 2021. Around 9:00 PM local time, observatories and meteor observation cameras across the British Isles detected a bright bolide streaking toward the UK. Numerous witnesses in England reported a sonic boom overhead. The next morning, the Wilcock family in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, discovered a patch of powder and a pile of stones on their driveway, leaving a small dent in the tarmac. They reported the impact to the UK Meteor Observation Network, ultimately gathering around 600 grams of meteorite material from their property and nearby areas.

Classified as a CM carbonaceous chondrite, Winchcombe is characterized by its dark, brecciated structure and black to brownish fusion crust on larger fragments. Much of it is in powder form, and the intact stones are crumbly, typical of CM chondrites. Because it was quickly collected after its fall, Winchcombe remains one of the most pristine meteorites studied, providing scientists with invaluable insights into the original composition of asteroids. The dented tarmac from the Wilcock driveway was later removed and is now on display at the Natural History Museum in London, alongside samples of this remarkable meteorite.