Iron meteorite fall near Sanchore (सांचौर), Jalore, Rajasthan, India on 19 June 2020 at ~ 6.15 a.m. IST (0.45 UT)

Last update: 24 June 2020

Photo: Jaykishan Khanwat

The iron meteorite weighing 2788 grams fell (according to our own research) next to Gayatri College MB Road at location ~ 24°44’47.35″N, 71°47’3.78″E, just outside the city area of Sanchore, Rajasthan, India at around 6.15 a.m. (~7 a.m. ?) on 19 June 2020. It caused a one-foot (or 13-16 cm) deep impact pit in the sandy ground of a vacant section of a residential area southeast of Sanchore. It is reported to have been hot when found. According to witnesses it took about three hours for it to cool down. Before the fall local people had seen the bolide’s luminous trajectory and heard a loud detonation sound. At around 7 a.m. the locals called the police and around 9.30 a.m. the meteorite was seized by the local police, put into a glass or plastic jar and taken to a Sanchore jeweller’s laboratory for a short analysis at around 10.10 a.m. . The initial results revealed a surface composition of 85.86 % iron and 10.23 % nickel which is very typical of an iron meteorite (especially fine and medium octahedrites) but must be confirmed in a proper scientific analysis. The regmaglypted wedge-shaped or oblique tetrahedral meteorite (estimated ~ 10 x 10 x 8.5 cm) shows a thin fusion crust which is partly flaked revealing a brownish tarnish. It has fine flow lines and fine melt lips. The meteorite was first stored at the Sanchore police station and a few days later handed over to representatives of the Geological Survey of India (GSI) for an adequate analysis and classification in a specialized research institute. It can be assumed that after classification the meteorite will be officially registered in the database of the Meteoritical Society as a rare witnessed fall of an iron meteorite with the official name ‘Sanchore’. It will be permanently curated at India’s National Meteorite Repository (NMR) in Kolkata.

The meteorite at the Sanchore police station. Photo: Vagaram Bhati

The meteorite left to cool down next to Gayatri College MB road about 1.5 metres from its fall site. Photo: Jaykishan Khanwat

Photo: वीरु माली तैराक

Photo: वीरु माली तैराक

Photo: वीरु माली तैराक

Regmaglypts, fine flow lines and fine melt lips can be seen on the meteorite. Photo: वीरु माली तैराक

Photo: वीरु माली तैराक

The meteorite at its fall location. Up is south. Photo: Dinesh Patel

The meteorite in its impact pit. Up is south. Photo: ZEE Rajasthan

A horizontally inverted video footage in which a local resident describes the unknown ‘bomb-like’ object which has fallen near his house. Video: Er Kamlesh Godara

Video of a local resident taken before the fall site was cordoned off by the police. Video: Heeralal Bhati

Video of a local resident which was taken after the fall site had been cordoned off by the police. The meteorite had been put down near the fall site so that locals could take photos. Later the meteorite was taken away by the police. Video: K P Yash

Video: गंगाराम चौधरी

The fall location in the Gayatri College MB Rd at location ~ 24°44’47.35″N, 71°47’3.78″E, southeast of Sanchore. Up is south.

The meteorite at the Sanchore police station. Photo: Dinesh Patel

The meteorite at the Sanchore police station. Photo: Dinesh Patel

The meteorite shortly before handed over to the GSI. Photo: Sangri Times (24 June 2020)