Meteorite fall in Khalwat Limgaon (खवळट लिमगाव/खालवत लिमगाव), Wadvani, Majalgaon, Beed district, Maharashtra, India at ~1.45-2 pm IST (~8:15-8:30 UTC) on 3 March 2025

05/03/2025 23:27 · by karmaka · in ordinary chondrite, witnessed fall

Last update: 9 March 2025 (13:10 CET)

Reportedly at least two, maybe three, meteorite masses (most likely an ordinary chondrite) have been found in Khalwat Limgaon (खालवत लिमगाव or खवळट लिमगाव) around location 19°06’19.2″N, 76°04’55.1″E at at least two sites in the village. One mass (~ 280 g, 8 cm long) pierced the tin-shed roof of farmer Bhikaji Ambhore’s home. Bhikaji Ambhore/Bhikaji Gyanoba Ambhore (भिकाजी ज्ञानोबा अंबुरे) was sitting outside of the house while eating when he and other villagers heard three loud booms in the sky. Then he witnessed the impact on the roof. When he went into the house he saw the hole in the tin roof. A stove has also been hit by the meteorite. The found mass reportedly felt very cool when it was touched first. According to Bhikaji Gyanoba Ambure two or three other masses have fallen in the village as well. One meteorite fell on a barren field nearby. This fall and the booms of the fragmenting meteoroid were also witnessed by some children playing in a field at the time of the fall. The two larger masses have been handed over to the Beed district administration. Villagers were initially afraid that more meteorites might fall during the following night and some did not sleep that night. On 5 March 2025 the director Dr Shriniwas Aundhkar and Abhinav Vitekar from APJ Abdul Kalam Astronomy and Space Science Center in Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) arrived at the fall site to inspect the meteorites. The two meteorites, which show some patches of fusion crust, have been taken into custody by scientists and will be sent to the Geological Survey of India in Kolkata where they will be analysed scientifically.

दुपारी दोन वाजता आवाज झाला मी बाहेर बसलेलो होतो बाहेरून मध्ये येऊन बघितलं तर पत्राला ढवळा पडून खाली चून फुटली तर त्याच्यामुळे आमच्या इथे बाया पोरं जेवत होते त्याच्यामुळे आम्हाला भीती निर्माण झाली वाटतंय आणि पुन्हा गावात आणखीन दोन तीन जागेवर अशी दगडे पडले होते ते बी (Bhikaji Ambhore)

At 2 pm, there was a noise. I was sitting outside. When I came in from outside and saw that the roof had cracked and the lime had broken down. Because of this, our women and children were eating here. We felt scared. And again, such stones had fallen in two or three places in the village. (Bhikaji Ambhore)

Image: Sakal News (5 March 2025)

Image: Sakal News (5 March 2025)

Image: Sakal News (5 March 2025)

Photo: Loksatta (5 March 2025)

Photo: Bhikaji Gyanoba Ambure

Impact hole in Bhikaji Ambhore’s roof. Image: Sakal News

Impact hole in Bhikaji Ambhore’s roof. Image: Pudhari News

Impact hole in Bhikaji Ambhore’s roof. Photo: Maharashtra Times

Second mass which fell on a barren field near a farmer’s house. Image: Pudhari News

Image: Lokasha TV

The two masses which will be analysed at the Geological Survey of India. The one on the lfet fell through the roof and the one on the right was found in a barren field nearby. Photo: APJ Abdul Kalam Astronomy and Space Science Center