Sikhote-Alin Iron Meteorite — 6.898g | IIAB | Witnessed Fall 1947, Russia

Sikhote-Alin Iron Meteorite — 6.898g Individual | IIAB | Witnessed Fall, February 12, 1947

A genuine individual fragment of the Sikhote-Alin iron meteorite — one of the most celebrated and historically significant meteorite falls of the 20th century. This 6.898-gram specimen displays the characteristic regmaglypts (thumbprint-like ablation depressions) that are the hallmark of Sikhote-Alin individuals, formed as the meteorite’s surface was sculpted by atmospheric friction during its fiery descent.

Specimen Details

• Meteorite Name: Sikhote-Alin
• Classification: Iron, IIAB
• Fall Location: Primorsky Krai, Russia
• Date of Fall: February 12, 1947
• Type: Witnessed fall
• Weight: 6.898 g
• Dimensions (approximate): ~21.9 mm × ~13.5 mm × ~6.9 mm
• Form: Individual fragment with regmaglypts

Note: dimensions are approximate as measured by digital caliper.

About the Sikhote-Alin Fall

At approximately 10:38 AM local time on February 12, 1947, a brilliant fireball streaked across the sky of the Sikhote-Alin mountain range in the Soviet Far East, witnessed by hundreds of people across a wide area. The meteorite shattered during atmospheric entry, scattering thousands of fragments across an elliptical strewn field of approximately 1.3 km². The total recovered mass exceeded 23,000 kilograms, making it the largest witnessed iron meteorite fall in recorded history.

Sikhote-Alin individuals are prized by collectors worldwide for their dramatic regmaglypts — the deeply sculpted, flowing surface depressions that record the meteorite’s violent passage through Earth’s atmosphere. No two individuals are alike, and the metallic lustre of freshly exposed iron-nickel surfaces gives each piece a raw, otherworldly beauty.

Why This Specimen Belongs in Your Collection

Imagine holding a piece of iron that fell from space on a winter morning in 1947, witnessed by hundreds of Soviet citizens who watched it blaze across the sky. The regmaglypts on this 6.898-gram individual were carved by the atmosphere itself during its hypersonic entry — a natural sculpture billions of years in the making, delivered to Earth in a matter of seconds. Sikhote-Alin is the quintessential entry-level meteorite for new collectors and a staple of serious collections alike, combining dramatic visual character, documented provenance, and genuine historical significance.

The specimen shown is the exact piece you will receive. Guaranteed authentic.