Scientists reveal meteorite fragments of rare daylight fireball over Eastern Cape, South Africa

Wits University scientists revealed fragments of a rare daylight fireball seen on August 25, 2024, over the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The meteorites were found in the town of Nqweba by a 9-year-old girl Elize du Toit.

A very bright daylight fireball was seen on August 25, 2024, over the Eastern Cape, sparking a collaborative scientific investigation involving several leading universities. The event, witnessed by residents across a vast area, has led to the recovery of a rare meteorite fragment, provisionally named the “Nqweba Meteorite” after the nearby town of its discovery.

Residents from regions as distant as the Garden Route, the Karoo, and provinces of the Western Cape and Free State observed a bright blue-white and orange streak of light in the sky. The meteorite, after splitting into several smaller fragments, disappeared from view.

Shortly after, witnesses reported hearing loud explosions and sensing vibrations.

The meteorites were found on the same day in the town of Nqweba by a 9-year-old girl Elize du Toit. Elize heard a loud sound of something falling in her garden and upon checking she found 5 fragments that were still warm when she picked them up.

“I just heard this rumbling sound. And then I just noticed this rock falling out of the sky and then I went to go pick it up and it was still warm,” said du Toit.

It was Elize’s mother who realized it might have been a meteorite and informed the authorities.

The Nqweba Meteorite is believed to be an achondritic meteorite, specifically a rare type within the Howardite-Eucrite-Diogenite (HED) group. It weighs less than 90 g (0.17 ounces) and had a pre-fragmentation diameter of less than 5 cm (2 inches).

The specimens have a dark black glassy coating (fusion crust) with a light grey interior, peppered with dark-green and light-green grains and clasts. Such meteorites provide valuable insights into the inner workings of other planetary bodies, offering scientists a glimpse into processes similar to those that formed Earth’s rocks.

The bolide is most likely a fragment of Asteroid 4 Vesta, one of the largest objects in the asteroid belt with a diameter of 525 km (326 miles).

“Achondritic meteorites are less common than other meteorites and are analogous to some of Earth’s rocks. Achondrites are of great interest to geoscientists, as they give us a glimpse into the inner workings of other planetary bodies,” Dr. Leonidas Vonopartis of Wits University said.

“They also demonstrate that processes that formed the rocks of Earth occur elsewhere in the solar system, and analysis of these meteorites help us better understand the formation of other rocky planets and asteroids.”

Currently, landowners in the area are being asked for permission to allow search parties to look for more fragments. Anyone coming across potential meteor fragments is instructed to take pictures, mark the spot, and take its GPS location before disturbing the scene.

References:

¹ Rare daylight fireball over Eastern Cape, South Africa, explosions heard over 200 km (120 miles) away- The Watchers – August 29, 2024

² Eastern Cape meteorite find revealed – University of the Witwatersrand – September 3, 2024

Featured image credit: University of the Witwatersrand