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Hoba Meteorite

Namibia / Otjozondjupa / Grootfontein /
 tourist attraction  Add category
The Hoba Meteorite is the largest known meteorite and likewise the largest known single mass of native iron known on Earth.

The Hoba mass was discovered in 1920 by the farmer of the Farm Hoba West near Grootfontein, northern Namibia. As the story goes, the farmer was ploughing trough one of his fields, when he heard an odd metallic screech and the ox-driven plough suddenly came to a full stop. Upon closer investigation the farmer dug up a huge boulder of iron, measuring roughly 3 by 3 meter. Due to its immense weight of roughly 60 tons it was never seriously attempted to remove the boulder nor was it feasible, to cut the iron into smaller pieces. So the Hoba meteorite remained on the place of its discovery to this very day.

So the Hoba remains the largest known iron meteorite on our Earth, visited by thousands of tourists throughout the year, many of which come to this beautiful south African country for its extremely clear skies, where they eventually may discover an even larger iron meteorite aiming for Africa.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoba_meteorite
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   19°35'33"S   17°56'2"E

Comments

  • kencummings
    Before 1976, when I visited here, scientists had used drills to remove about a cubic foot off of one corner of the meteorite.
  • kencummings
    Also, I had a strong hand magnet and collected a bottle full of drill cuttings and magnetic rust chips. The stone steps around the meteorite were not there 36 years ago.