| Pultusk | |
|---|---|
| Pultusk | |
| Type | Chondrite |
| Class | Ordinary chondrite |
| Group | H5 |
| Composition | SiO2 36.44 wt%, TiO2 0.18 wt%, Al2O3 1.88 wt%, Cr2O3 0.37 wt%, FeO 9.48 wt%, MnO 0.25 wt%, MgO 23.75 wt%, CaO 1.82 wt%, Na2O 0.83 wt%, K2O 0.09 wt%, P2O5 0.22 wt%, Fe 16.02 wt%, Ni 1.61 wt%, FeS 5.97 wt%, Fe (metallic) 17.62 wt%, Ni (metallic) 9.13 wt%, Fe as iron sulphide 3.80 wt%, S as iron sulphide 2.17 wt%, total content of iron 27.19 wt%[1]. |
| Country | Poland |
| Region | Ostrołęka |
| Coordinates | [2] |
| Observed fall | Yes |
| Fall date | January 30, 1868 |
| TKW | about 9000 kg |
Pultusk is an H5 ordinary chondrite meteorite fallen on January 30, 1868 in Poland.
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The fall occurred on January 30, 1868 at 7 pm near the town of Pułtusk, about 60 km northeast of Warsaw. Thousands of people witnessed a large fireball followed by detonations and a very large shower of small fragments falling on ice, land and houses within an area of about 127 sq km. The estimated number of fragments was 68780[3]. The fragments ranged in weight from half a gram to 9.095 kg (the largest specimen). The overall estimated mass of the meteorites was 8,863 kg. The vast majority of the fragments were small (few grams) and are known as Pultusk Peas. The Pultusk meteorite is one of the largest stony meteorite shower recorded in history.
Pultusk is brecciated and contains two varieties of xenoliths embedded in a dark brecciated matrix.
The meteorite Pultusk is a veined and brecciated chondrite with abundant xenoliths with various degrees of recrystallisation. Petrologic type 5 xenoliths prevail[4], so it has been classified as H5: an ordinary chondrite significantly thermally metamorphosed and with the contours of the chondrules frequently difficult to distinguish.
The main minerals are olivine and bronzite. Kamacite, troilite and chromite are also present.