Rare Aubrite Meteorite Fragments Explode Over Berlin
Fragments of a meteorite that exploded over Berlin have been identified as a rare type of asteroid known as "aubrites," which contain mainly magnesium silicates enstatite and forsterite. The asteroid, 2024 BX1, was first spotted by a Hungarian astronomer and was tracked by NASA's Scout mission and the ESA's Meerkat Asteroid Guard impact hazard assessment systems. The recovery of the meteorite fragments was led by a team of scientists from various institutions, and the fragments were found in fields just south of the village of Ribbeck, about 50 km west of Berlin. The fragments were analyzed and found to be consistent with an achondrite meteor of the aubrite type, with only material from eleven other observed falls of this type in meteorite collections worldwide.
