Meteroite “Allende”

Get the inside story on a true rock star. The Allende meteoriteis one of the most famous – and well studied – meteorites in the world. The silicate body of the meteorite contains carbon(= carbonaceous) and surrounds small mineral inclusions called chondrules (= chondrite). Only about 4% of all meteorites are carbonaceous chondrites.

In 2016 a team including Field Museum scientist Philipp Heck clocked a meteorite at 59,950 miles per hour. When falling through our atmosphere, meteorites compress the air in front of them, creating an envelope of gases that can reach thousands of degrees Fahrenheit. This melts the meteorite’s surface, leaving a thin fusion crust.