“Drelów” (prov.) meteorites (>3.5 kg, L ?, ~49 specimens) of bolide on 18 February 2025 (17:04:14 UT) found southwest of Drelów, Biała Podlaska district, Lublin province, Poland

23/02/2025 10:45 · by karmaka · in ordinary chondrite, witnessed fall

Last update: 11 March 2025 (17:45 CET)

Reenactment of the find position of the 517-gram mass at its fall location. Photo: Wiktor Hajwos

The first meteorite (92.8 g, dry) was found by Maksymilian Jakubczak at 10:10 (CET) on 22 February 2025. At 12:30 (CET) on the same day a 257.4-gram mass was found by Krzysztof Oleszczuk and a 48.02-gram specimen by Wojciech Burzyński in or near the Drelów commune in the Biała Podlaska district. The 257.4-gram mass has been sent to the National Center for Nuclear Research (NCBJ) for short-lived radioisotope analysis. On 23 February at 9:20 CET a fourth specimen weighing 293.2 grams was found by Daria Klimek and Mariusz Krall and at 12:30 CET a 517.07-gram specimen was found by Wiktor Hajwos, son of the SN21 station operator, as member of the search group together with Marcin Hajwos (SN14 station), Artur Jaśkiewicz (SN33 station), Dariusz Skierski, and Mateusz Zmija (SN01 station). The 517.07-gram specimen has been sent to the National Centre for Nuclear Research (NCBJ) in Otwock in Poland for short-lived radioisotope analysis. More meteorites were found on 23 February 2025, including a 25.59-gram specimen, found at 15:55 (CET) by Gabriela Najman, a 44.5-gram mass found by Marcin Żywczak and a 104-gram fragment found by Piotr Poćwierz. On 24 February Paweł Walczak (SN12 station) found a 23-gram mass while searching together with his teen son and Mateusz Żmija. It has been sent to the Rzeszów University of Technology for analysis. On the same day at ~15:00 CET a ~28-gram specimen was found by the team Filip Nikodem, Michał Nebelski and Andrzej Owczarzak. Furthermore, two additional masses were found on 24 February. Tomasz Żywczak found a 26.5-gram specimen and Kryspin Kmieciak found a 77-gram mass, of which 23.73 grams (in three fragments) as type specimen have been sent to the Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice for analyses. On 25 February Sylwester Wojda found a 462-gram specimen and Jarosław Morys (SN02 station) found a 115-gram specimen which has been sent to sent to Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IFJ PAN) in Kraków). On the same day Dr. Zoltán Balla found a 179-gram mass accompanied by Biró Zsófia and Kővágó Gábor. On 26 February the following finds were reportedly made: 32 grams by Arek Bingoraj, 62 g by Jarosław Morys (also sent to Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IFJ PAN) in Kraków), 33.95 g (at 14:09 CET) by Szymon Kozłowski and Rafał Mąka, 18 g by Andrzej Owczarzak, 66.6 by Michał Nebelski, 290 g in three fragments by Kryspin Kmieciak and 58 g by Filip Nikodem. On 27 February 2025 these masses were reportedly found: 35 g by Wojciech Jachymek, 47 g by Leon Thann, 17 g by Daria Klimek and Mariusz Krall and 105 g by Marcin Pietryszyk. On 28 February Michał Nebelski found a 64-gram fragment, Paweł Zaręba found an 18.48-gram specimen and Martyna Motylska found a 23 gram mass. On 1 March Filip Nikodem found an 18-gram specimen accompanied by Andrzej Owczarzak and Michał Nebelski. On 2 March Marek Nikodem found a 16-gram specimen and on 3 March a ~10-gram specimen was found by Andrzej Owczarzak. On the same day Leon Thann found a 22-gram fragment and Filip Nikodem (~3g) and Andrzej Owczarzak (two fragments weighing ~43g) found three fragments of a ~46.24-gram mass. On 4 March Michał Nebelski found a 4.9-gram specimen and Jarosław Morys found a ~10-gram mass. On the same day two other finds were made: 8.735 g by Andrzej Owczarzak and 14.12 g by Aleksander Błasiak. The following finds were made on 5 March 2025: 3.65 g by Mateusz Żmija, 40.92 g by Patryk Kosałka, 40 g by Tomasz ‘Aurora’ Żywczak. On 6 March Filip Nikodem found a 93-gram fragment which fits perfectly to the 40.92-gram fragment found by Patryk Kosałka. On the same day Andrzej Owczarzak found a 7.5-gram specimen and Gabriela Najman found a 1.1-gram specimen at 10:30 CET. On 7 March Michał Nebelski found a 31-gram mass. On 8 March Marcin Hajwos’s wife Adrianna Hajwos found a 14.4-gram specimen. Furthermore this find has been reported online: 3.6 g by Maciej Łabęcki. Analyses for a classification of this meteorite fall are being performed at the University of Silesia in Katowice, and at the Faculty of Natural Sciences, by Prof. Krzysztof Szopa and Agnieszka Mirek.

The luminous trail of the bolide became visible above Ostrów Lubelski at an altitude of about 82.5 kilometres with a meteoroid entry velocity of 13km/s. It was heading north and its luminous trail ended at an altitude of about 19.5 kilometres above an area 12 km away from Międzyrzec Podlaski. The final fragmentation of the meteoroid reportedly happened at an altitude of about 19.5 kilometres at a pressure of 4 MPa according to calculations. Tomek Walesiak used already published Skytinel trajectory data, calculated by Mateusz Żmija, coordinator and founder of Skytinel Network (initiated only 10 months before this fall), and published his strewn field calculations on 19 February 2025. For the Skytinel Network Mateusz Żmija and Kővágó Gábor, supported by Prof. Szymon Kozłowski (Astronomical Observatory of the University of Warsaw, Poland), had already calculated a preliminary search area which is approximately 7 km long and 0.3-1.3 km wide (for hypothetical meteorite masses from 1 kg to 10 g). Due to strong high-altitude winds and the moderately high entry angle of the event (55° to the horizon), falling meteorites masses were moved far backward and eastward from the trajectory endpoint. For the calculation of the atmospheric trajectory and the ~14-square-kilometer strewn field the following Skytinel fireball network cameras were used: SN07 in Bodzentyn (Mateusz Roman), SN08 in Oleszyce (Szymon Ozimek), SN14 in Warsaw (Marcin Hajwos), SN21 in Olsztyn (Olsztyn Planetarium and Astronomical Observatory) and SN28 in Elbląg (Krzysztof Kida). All in all ten Skytinel cameras captured the bolide. The meteoroid’s preatmospheric orbit was inclined at an angle of 2.9 ° to the ecliptic plane, and the meteoroid was 2.91 AU from the Sun. Skytinel’s Mateusz Żmija used an additional, close video from a surveillance camera sent by Sylwester Szubiński to specify the parameters of the main mass of the fall. His calculations revealed that it had to weigh about 600 g (assuming a meteorite density of 3.2 g/cm³). The designated small sub-area for the main mass in the northern part of the strewn field was searched the following day and the search resulted in the finding of the 517.07-gram main mass found by Wiktor Hajwos and his team (see above).

Bolide recorded from near Garwolin. Video: Sylwester Szubiński

Skytinel strewn field map as published on 4 March 2025. Dark flight calculations have been performed by Mateusz Żmija, Kővágó Gábor and Prof. Szymon Kozłowski. Image: Skytinel Interactive online version

Calculated strewn field by Tomek Walesiak. Image: Tomek Walesiak

First find (92.8 g (dry), 22 February 2025, Maksymilian Jakubczak)

93.4-gram specimen. Photo: Szymon Kozłowski

92.8-gram specimen. Photo: Szymon Kozłowski

92.8-gram specimen in situ. Photo: madeinspace.pl

Second find (257.4 g, 22 February 2025, Krzysztof Oleszczuk)

257.4-gram specimen. Photo: Szymon Kozłowski

257.4-gram specimen. Photo: Szymon Kozłowski

257.4-gram specimen. Photo: Szymon Kozłowski

257.4-gram specimen. Photo: Szymon Kozłowski

Third find (48.02 g, 22 February 2025, Wojciech Burzyński)

48.02-gram specimen. Photo: Szymon Kozłowski

48.02-gram specimen. Photo: Szymon Kozłowski

48.02-gram specimen in situ. Photo: madeinspace.pl

Fourth find (293.2 g, 23 February 2025, Daria Klimek and Mariusz Krall)

293-gram specimen. Photo: Szymon Kozłowski

293-gram specimen. Photo: Szymon Kozłowski

293-gram specimen. Photo: Szymon Kozłowski

Fifth find (517.07 g main mass, 23 February 2025, Wiktor Hajwos (finder), Marcin Hajwos, Artur Jaśkiewicz, Dariusz Skierski, and Mateusz Zmija)

Reenactment of the find position of the 517-gram mass at its fall location. Photo: Wiktor Hajwos

517.07-gram specimen. Photo: Skytinel

517.07-gram specimen. Photo: Skytinel

517.07-gram specimen. Photo: Skytinel

25.59-gram mass (23 February, 15:55 (CET), Gabriela Najman)

25.59-gram mass. Photo: Gabriela Najman

44.5-gram mass (23 February 2025, Marcin Żywczak)

44.5-gram mass in situ. Photo: Marcin Żywczak

23-gram mass (24 February 2025, Paweł Walczak)

23-gram mass found by Paweł Walczak on 24 February 2025. Photo: Paweł Walczak

28-gram mass (24 February 2025, Filip Nikodem, Michał Nebelski and Andrzej Owczarzak)

28-gram mass found by Filip Nikodem, Michał Nebelski and Andrzej Owczarzak on 24 February 2025. Photo: Andrzej Owczarzak

26.5-gram mass (24 February 2025, Tomasz Żywczak)

26.5-gram mass in situ, found by Tomasz Żywczak. Photo: Tomasz Żywczak

77-gram mass (24 February 2025, Kryspin Kmieciak)

77-gram mass in situ found by Kryspin Kmieciak on 24 February 2025. Photo: Kryspin Kmieciak

77-gram mass found by Kryspin Kmieciak on 24 February 2025. Photos: Kryspin Kmieciak

462-gram mass (25 February 2025, Sylwester Wojda)

The 462-gram specimen, found by Sylwester Wojda. Photo: Jarosław Morys

The 462-gram specimen, found by Sylwester Wojda. Photo: Jarosław Morys

The 462-gram specimen, found by Sylwester Wojda. Photo: Jarosław Morys

The 462-gram specimen, found by Sylwester Wojda. Photo: Jarosław Morys

115-gram mass (25 February 2025, Jarosław Morys)

115-gram mass found by Jarosław Morys on 25 February 2025. Photo: madeinspace.pl

115-gram mass found by Jarosław Morys on 25 February 2025. Photo: madeinspace.pl

179-gram mass (25 February 2025, Zoltán Balla), which fits perfectly to the three fragments found by Kryspin Kmieciak on 26 February 2025, about 500 metres away (see below).

179-gram mass found by Zoltán Balla. Photo: Zoltán Balla

32-gram mass (26 February 2025, Arek Bingoraj)

A 32-gram mass found by Arek Bingoraj. Photo: madeinspace.pl

62-gram mass (26 February 2025, Jarosław Morys)

A 62-gram mass found by Jarosław Morys. Photo: Marek Zubik

33.95-gram mass (26 February 2025, Szymon Kozłowski and Rafał Mąka)

33.95-gram mass found at 14:09 CET on 26 February 2025 by Szymon Kozłowski and Rafał Mąka. Photo: Szymon Kozłowski and Rafał Mąka

18-gram mass (26 February 2025, Andrzej Owczarzak)

A 18-gram fragment found on 26 February 2025 by Andrzej Owczarzak. Photo: madeinspace.pl

66.6-gram mass (26 February 2025, Michał Nebelski)

A 66.6-gram mass found on 26 February 2025 by Michał Nebelski. Photo: Photo: madeinspace.pl

290-gram, three pieces which fragmented on impact (26 February 2025, Kryspin Kmieciak). The three fragments perfectly fit to the 179-gram fragment found on 25 February 2025 by Zoltán Balla about 500 metres away (see above).

Three pieces (290-gram) which fragmented on impact, found on 26 February 2025 by Kryspin Kmieciak

Three fragments (290-gram) united with the 179-gram fragment found one day before. Photos: Marcin Ha

58-gram (26 February 2025, Filip Nikodem)

A 58-gram mass found on 26 February 2025 by Filip Nikodem. Photo: madeinspace.pl

35 g (27 February 2025, Wojciech Jachymek)

35-gram specimen in situ. Photos: Wojciech Jachymek

47-gram oriented mass (27 February 2025, Leon Thann)

A 47-gram specimen found on 27 February 2025 by Leon Thann. Photo: Leon Thann

17-gram fragment (27 February 2025, Daria Klimek and Mariusz Krall)

17-gram fragment in situ on 27 February 2025. Photo: Daria Klimek and Mariusz Krall

105-gram fragment (27 February 2025, Marcin Pietryszyk)

Photos: Marcin Pietryszyk

23-gram fragment (28 February 2025, Martyna Motylska (finder), Olek Błasiak)

23-gram specimen found on 28 February 2025 by Martyna Motylska accompanied by Olek Błasiak. Photos: Olek Błasiak

64-gram fragment (28 February 2025, Michał Nebelski)

64-gram fragment showing signs of terrestrial weathering. Photos: Andrzej Owczarzak

18.48-gram fragment (28 February 2025, Paweł Zaręba)

18.9-gram specimen found on 28 February 2025 by Paweł Zaręba. Photo: Paweł Zaręba

18-gram specimen (1 March 2025, Filip Nikodem)

The 18-gram specimen, found by Filip Nikodem. Photo: Filip Nikodem and Jarosław Morys

16-gram mass (2 March 2025, Marek Nikodem)

16-gram mass found on 2 March by Marek Nikodem. Photo: Marek Nikodem

~10-gram specimen (Andrzej Owczarzak (finder), Filip Nikodem, Michał Nebelski)

A ~10-gram specimen found by Andrzej Owczarzak. Photo: Andrzej Owczarzak

22 g (3 March 2025, Leon Thann)

On 3 March 2025 Leon Thann found a 22-gram fragment. Photo: Leon Thann

46.24 g, three fragments (3 March 2025, Filip Nikodem, Andrzej Owczarzak)

Three fragments of one mass (46.24 g) found on 3 March 2025, ~43g Andrzej Owczarzak (left), ~3g Filip Nikodem (right). Photos: Filip Nikodem, Andrzej Owczarzak

~10-gram mass (4 March 2025, Jarosław Morys)