| Novato meteorite | |
|---|---|
Peter Jenniskens meteor trajectory. Six fragments have been found in Novato, California. More massive 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) fragments may have fallen near Sonoma with any 10 kilograms (22 lb) fragments possibly falling near Yountville / St. Helena. This trajectory estimate may be inaccurate.
| |
| Type | Chondrite |
| Class | Ordinary chondrite |
| Group | L6 |
| Shock stage | S4 |
| Weathering grade | W0/1 |
| Country | USA |
| Region | California |
| Coordinates | 38°06′N 122°36′W / 38.1°N 122.6°W / 38.1; -122.6[1] |
| Observed fall | Yes |
| Fall date | 17 October 2012 |
| Found date | 20 October 2012 |
| TKW | ~363 grams (6 recovered)[1] |
| Strewn field | Yes |
| Alternative names | Mill Valley |
 Related media on Wikimedia Commons | |
The Novato meteorite is an ordinary chondrite which entered the Earth's atmosphere and broke up over Northern California at 19:44 Pacific Time on 17 October 2012. The falling bolide created a bright fireball and sonic booms and fragmented into smaller pieces as the intense friction of passing through the atmosphere heated it and absorbed its kinetic energy.[2] The meteoroid was about 35 centimeters (14 in) across.[3]
The first fragment of the meteorite (N01) was recovered by Lisa Webber on 20 October after reading a story in the San Francisco Chronicle that described the NASA/CAMS meteor trajectory predicting a fall area in the North Bay.[4] Lisa recalled hearing a sound on her roof the night of the meteor and went outside and located a 62 gram stone. Analysis of fragment N01 by Dr. Alan Rubin came back as a L6 breccia.[5]
The second fragment was found by Brien Cook on 22 October (66 grams) and the third fragment was found by Jason Utas on 27 October (79 grams).[1][6] The largest fragment recovered as of 5 November 2012 is N04 at 96 grams found by Robert Verish on 27 October.[7] A fifth stone (N05) weighing 24 grams was found by Jason Utas on November 2.[6] A sixth stone (N06) weighing 23.7 grams was found by the Kane family on November 11.[7] More massive 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) fragments may have fallen near Sonoma with any 10 kilograms (22 lb) fragments possibly falling near Yountville.[8]
This was the second significant meteorite in California in 2012, the first being the Sutter's Mill meteorite.
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