Pultusk (meteorite)

The Pultusk meteorite fall occurred on January 30, 1868, over the town of Pultusk, Poland (then part of the Russian Partition of Poland). It is notable for being one of the largest observed meteorite showers in recorded history, with hundreds of individual meteorites raining down over a wide area. The meteoroid likely fragmented high in the atmosphere before impacting the ground.

The meteorites themselves are classified as L6 chondrites, a common type of stony meteorite. Numerous specimens were recovered, ranging in size from small fragments to significantly larger masses. The total recovered mass is estimated to be in the hundreds of kilograms, although a precise figure is difficult to ascertain due to the number of fragments and the potential for unrecovered material. Many specimens are housed in various museum and private collections around the world.

The Pultusk fall provided valuable data for scientists studying meteorites and their origins. The large number of recovered fragments allowed for a more comprehensive analysis of the meteoroid's composition and structure than is often possible with single-find meteorites. Research on Pultusk meteorites continues to contribute to our understanding of early solar system processes. The event itself also highlights the potential scale of meteorite impacts and the significant threat even relatively small meteoroids can pose.