Museum is hunting fallen meteorite
by Thomas Foght
(translated by Sott)
The Natural History Museum of Denmark is interested in hearing from witnesses who saw the meteor.
Several danes saw tuesday evening a burning meteor in the sky. It was observed from different locations in Denmark and therefore is the hunt now on for finding the meteorite, which possibly fell around Silkeborg. A meteor becomes a meteorite when it hits the ground.
Via video recordings and eyewitness reports has the Geological Museum department at the Natural History Museum worked out that an impact happened tuesday evening at 8 pm south of Silkeborg.
It is however sparse with information and the geological museum is therefore asking people to report to them if they have seen or heard anything in the evening sky.
The museum is seeking witnesses from Jutland
“A meteorite impact is rather unusual and if we find a meteorite, then it might be able to teach us something new about how our solar system came to be, “ says Henning Haack, the curator of the meteorite collection at the geological museum in a press release.
Until now the Natural History Museum has heard from witnesses from most parts of the country, but is most interested in hearing from people in the western and northern parts of Jutland, as it will then be able to map out the trajectory of the meteor.
A fallen meteor at Maribo was found two years ago on the basis of reports of a loud boom.
Cities around Silkeborg
According to the Natural History Museum, the greatest chances of finding the meteorite or fragments of it will be around Silkeborg, Them and Bryrup.
The best places to look for meteorites are flat areas with low or no vegetation. One can furthermore look in gardens, on football fields, fields, flat roofs and parking lots.
A meteorite can be recognised by being twice as heavy as a normal stone. They have normally a black or brownish crust and to react to magnets.
If one is lucky enough to find the meteorite, then one should not touch it, but instead contact the museum.
