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Peekskill meteorite

The Peekskill meteorite is an H6 ordinary chondrite, classified as a monomict breccia, that fell to Earth on October 9, 1992, at 19:50 EDT, impacting the trunk of a parked 1980 Chevrolet Malibu owned by Michelle Knapp at 207 Wells Street in Peekskill, New York, United States (coordinates: 41°17′N, 73°55′W).^[1] The main mass weighs 12.37 kg, with additional fragments totaling about 200 g, for a combined mass of 12.57 kg; the stone features light, centimeter-sized H6 clasts embedded in a darker H6 matrix, and its geochemistry includes olivine (Fa₂₀) and pyroxene (Fs₁₇).^[1] Upon impact, the meteorite punched a hole through the car's trunk, embedding itself nearly intact and becoming coated in red paint from the vehicle, following a loud boom heard after a bright greenish fireball visible across the eastern U.S.^[2]^[3] The fall was one of the most thoroughly documented in history, witnessed by thousands of people and captured on at least 16 separate video recordings, many taken by high school football fans filming local games in the path of the event.^[4]^[3] These videos enabled precise reconstruction of the meteoroid's atmospheric trajectory, which spanned approximately 700 km in a northeasterly direction from West Virginia to New York, as well as determination of its pre-entry orbit—making Peekskill only the fourth recovered meteorite for which such detailed orbital parameters were calculated at the time.^[5] The event's visibility and multimedia evidence highlighted the potential for amateur observations to contribute to meteorite science, while the stone's recovery provided insights into ordinary chondrite composition and fragmentation dynamics during atmospheric entry.^[5] Samples are held in institutions including the Field Museum (470 g) and private collections, underscoring its value for ongoing research into solar system formation.^[1]

Classification and Characteristics

Mineralogy and Petrology

The Peekskill meteorite is classified as an H6 ordinary chondrite exhibiting a monomict breccia texture, consisting of light, centimeter-sized H6 clasts embedded in a darker H6 matrix.^[6] This brecciated structure indicates a history of fragmentation and reassembly on the parent body, likely resulting from impacts that caused shock metamorphism and subsequent lithification.^[6] The primary silicate minerals are olivine with a composition of Fa₂₀ and orthopyroxene with Fs₁₇, consistent with equilibrated type 6 ordinary chondrites.^[6] Accessory phases include plagioclase, troilite, and metallic nickel-iron alloys comprising approximately 20% of the volume, dominated by kamacite and taenite grains that show typical Widmanstätten patterns indicative of slow cooling.^[6]^[7] The Peekskill meteorite shares the general formation timeline of H-chondrites, with accretion shortly after calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (~4.56 billion years ago) and later metamorphic processing on the parent body.^[8] Its cosmic-ray exposure age is approximately 27–32 million years, indicating the duration of its journey as a meteoroid in space.^[9]

Physical Properties

The Peekskill meteorite consists of multiple fragments with a total known weight of 12.57 kg. The largest fragment, recovered immediately after impacting a parked vehicle, weighed 12.37 kg and represents the primary specimen. This main mass, now distributed among private collections including pieces of 5.2 kg, 1.2 kg, 1 kg, and 470 g, measures approximately 35 cm in length with an irregular, football-like shape.^[6]^[10] The meteorite exhibits magnetic properties attributable to its approximately 20% nickel-iron content. Externally, the primary fragment features a brown fusion crust formed during atmospheric ablation, displaying regmaglypt texture with thumbprint-like indentations. Upon recovery, the stone emitted a sulfurous odor, likely from volatilized compounds.^[10]^[11]

The Fall Event

Atmospheric Descent

The Peekskill meteorite entered Earth's atmosphere on October 9, 1992, at approximately 7:50 pm EDT (23:50 UT), with an initial velocity of 14.7 km/s (approximately 53,000 km/h).^[12] The meteoroid's trajectory originated over West Virginia, where initial fragmentation began, before proceeding in a northeasterly direction over Pennsylvania, covering a ground path exceeding 700 km and terminating near Peekskill, New York.^[12] This path rendered the event visible across much of the eastern United States, from areas near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Washington, D.C., and beyond.^[13] The resulting fireball exhibited a pronounced greenish glow, attributable to the emission spectra of nickel present in the ordinary chondrite composition during atmospheric ablation.^[14] It reached a peak visual magnitude of -13, rendering it significantly brighter than the full Moon (which has a magnitude of about -12.6), and maintained luminosity for over 40 seconds.^[15] Eyewitness accounts and multiple video recordings captured these characteristics, highlighting the fireball's intense illumination and elongated trail.^[12] During descent, the meteoroid underwent extensive fragmentation, with major events occurring between heights of 41.5 km and 36.4 km, producing dozens of visible pieces and finer grains estimated at around 1,000 particles of approximately 1 g each.^[12] This breakup, driven by aerodynamic pressures of 1–5 MPa, reduced the velocity progressively through ablation and drag, ultimately allowing surviving fragments to reach terminal velocity below 3 km/s at about 30 km altitude.^[12] The process exemplified typical dynamics for stony meteoroids of this mass (initially 20–25 metric tons), transitioning from hypersonic entry to subsonic dark flight.^[15]

Observations and Recordings

The Peekskill meteorite's atmospheric entry on October 9, 1992, was witnessed by thousands of people across five eastern U.S. states—West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, and Connecticut—many of whom described it as a brilliant **green fireball** streaking northeastward with a luminous duration exceeding 40 seconds and reaching a peak brightness of magnitude -13.^[16]^[3] Eyewitnesses reported accompanying explosive sounds, including a crackling like a sparkler lasting about 10 seconds near the end of the visible path, as noted in accounts from locations such as Altoona, Pennsylvania.^[15] The event's rarity was amplified by its capture on 16 independent video recordings, primarily obtained by high school students and spectators filming Friday night football games in Pennsylvania communities like Johnstown and Purchase Line.^[4]^[17] These amateur videos, collected from stations including Fairfax, Virginia; Johnstown and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Willoughby, Ohio, provided unprecedented multi-angle documentation of the fireball's flight.^[15] Astronomers utilized these videos to model the meteoroid's trajectory, determining an initial atmospheric entry velocity of 14.7 km/s at a height of 46.4 km and confirming its northeasterly path over approximately 700–800 km.^[15] The fragmentation sequence, including multiple flares—such as a prominent one at 36.4 km altitude lasting less than one-third of a second—was precisely timed and analyzed from the footage.^[15] This well-documented fall marked the first meteorite event to be extensively captured on video by multiple independent sources, garnering significant media attention and predating more famous instrumented recordings like the 2013 Chelyabinsk event.^[4]^[3]

Impact and Recovery

Collision Details

On October 9, 1992, at 7:50 p.m. EDT, a fragment of the Peekskill meteorite struck the ground in Peekskill, New York, at coordinates 41°17′11″N 73°54′59″W.^[6] The event occurred moments after the meteoroid's atmospheric fragmentation, with the primary recovered fragment—measuring approximately 23 cm across and weighing 12.4 kg—impacting at a terminal velocity of 164 mph (264 km/h).^[18]^[6] The fragment collided with the trunk of a 1980 red Chevrolet Malibu owned by 18-year-old Michelle Knapp, which was unoccupied and parked in the driveway at 207 Wells Street.^[6]^[19] The impact created a 23 cm dent in the trunk, penetrating the metal and narrowly missing the gas tank, while also embedding into the gravel driveway beneath.^[11] The meteorite fragment remained warm to the touch, reaching about 100°C, and emitted a distinct sulfurous odor reminiscent of rotten eggs upon recovery seconds later.^[19]^[11] No injuries occurred, as the vehicle was empty at the time, and the immediate area was residential with no reported structural damage beyond the car and driveway.^[19] The collision's low terminal speed, a result of extensive atmospheric deceleration and breakup, limited the destructive potential despite the meteoroid's initial entry velocity exceeding 14 km/s.^[15]

Fragment Recovery

The primary fragment of the Peekskill meteorite, weighing 12.37 kg, was recovered minutes after the fall by 18-year-old Michelle Knapp, who heard the impact and discovered the stone embedded in the driveway beneath her parked car at 207 Wells Street in Peekskill, New York.^[6] Additional smaller fragments, totaling approximately 0.2 kg, were found in nearby areas of New York state following the event.^[6] Recovery efforts were swiftly organized, involving local authorities who secured the primary site and meteorite enthusiasts who searched the predicted strewn field within hours and over the following days, leading to the collection of the smaller pieces.^[3]^[6] The main mass is currently held in the Macovich Collection of Meteorites, while specimens are preserved in institutions including the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (approximately 739 g) and the Field Museum of Natural History (470 g).^[20]^[21]^[6]

Scientific and Cultural Impact

Research Findings

Petrographic analysis of the Peekskill meteorite samples confirmed its classification as an H6 ordinary chondrite, characterized by a highly equilibrated texture with recrystallized chondrules and a monomict breccia structure. This determination was made through detailed examination at institutions such as the American Museum of Natural History, where olivine (Fa₂₀) and pyroxene (Fs₁₇) compositions aligned with H-group standards.^[6]^[11] Studies of shock features in the meteorite, including prominent melt veins and a filigreed breccia matrix, indicate exposure to intense shock pressures on its parent body, consistent with collisional events among H-chondrite precursors. These observations are consistent with the identification of asteroid 6 Hebe as the likely source for H-chondrites, based on spectral matching, with dynamical models supporting origins from main-belt asteroids like Hebe for ordinary chondrites.^[22]^[23] Oxygen isotope ratios measured in the Peekskill samples, with \delta^{17}O ≈ +3.5‰ and \delta^{18}O ≈ +4.4‰, plot within the distinct field defined for H-chondrites, reinforcing its affiliation with this group and highlighting shared formation history in a common reservoir.^[24] Additionally, analysis of the video-recorded trajectory contributed key data to models of meteoroid ablation and atmospheric deceleration, enabling more accurate predictions of mass loss and terminal velocity for similar events.^[12]

Legacy and Exhibitions

The primary fragment of the Peekskill meteorite was sold by its finder, Michelle Knapp, to a consortium of three meteorite dealers for $50,000 shortly after the 1992 fall.^[25] The main mass is held in private collections, with specimens continuing to be traded; for example, in 2012, an 83.68 g piece sold for $16,250 at auction.^[18] Today, small specimens of the Peekskill meteorite command a market value of approximately $100 to $200 per gram due to their historical significance and documented provenance.^[26] The damaged 1980 Chevrolet Malibu, which bore the scars of the meteorite's impact, was sold for $25,000 to meteorite collector Iris Lang and subsequently toured internationally as an exhibit, including a prominent display at France's Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris in 2017.^[20]^[27]^[18] The vehicle, insured for up to $1 million at one point, has since entered a private collection but remains available for special exhibitions. The Peekskill event has left a lasting mark on popular culture, inspiring features in documentaries such as "OTD in Space" episodes recounting the fall and its video documentation, as well as mentions in books on meteorite history like those chronicling famous falls. In Peekskill, New York, the incident bolsters local tourism, with commemorations for milestone anniversaries marking the October 9 date, such as the 30th in 2022, and sites like the impact location drawing visitors interested in cosmic events.^[28]^[25] Educationally, the Peekskill meteorite serves as a key example in meteorite awareness programs, highlighted by the American Meteor Society in anniversary retrospectives and public outreach to illustrate the reality of meteorite falls and encourage reporting of fireballs.^[18]^[4]

References

[1]
Meteoritical Bulletin: Entry for Peekskill
### Summary of Peekskill Meteorite Details
[2]
Peekskill - Buseck Center for Meteorite Studies
Oct 1, 2021 · Peekskill is an ordinary (H6) chondrite that fell October 9, 1992, in New York. How would you feel if a meteorite wrecked your car?
[3]
Peekskill - Our Research and Collections
Thousands spotted the greenish fireball as it streaked across the eastern United States, and more than a dozen witnesses captured it on video. The unusually ...
[4]
25th anniversary of the Peekskill Meteorite - American Meteor Society
Oct 9, 2017 · Not only did at least 16 cameras caught the fireball on tape (mainly by high school football fans taping local games), but also a resulting 12kg ...
[5]
The orbit and atmospheric trajectory of the Peekskill meteorite from ...
Feb 17, 1994 · We report here the preliminary analysis of 14 video recordings of the event, from which we determine the ground path and the original orbit of ...
[6]
Meteoritical Bulletin: Entry for Peekskill
... chondrite (H6, monomict breccia). After a fireball and loud noise a stone fell on Michelle Knapp's car, parked before her house at 207 Wells Street, Peekskill.
[7]
Classification - Stony Meteorites - Ordinary Chondrites
H chondrites contain a weight percentage of 25 to 31% total iron whereas only 15 to 19% nickel-iron is found in its free, reduced form. Hence, all H chondrites ...
[8]
Thermal history modelling of the H chondrite parent body
For eight H chondrites in particular radiometric ages exist that were obtained using at least three distinct radioisotope chronometers characterised by ...
[9]
Journal entry - Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
The Peekskill Meteorite ... meteorite's trajectory to be calculated. Someone told me that the Peekskill meteorite was sold to a collector for about $68,000.
[10]
Peekskill Meteorite: Crashed Into a Parked Car | AMNH
Seconds after the crash, the stone was found near the car's crumpled trunk, still warm and smelling of sulfur. C.9.2. Peekskill.jpg.Missing: odor | Show results with:odor
[11]
The orbit and atmospheric trajectory of the Peekskill meteorite from video records - Nature
### Summary of Peekskill Meteorite Atmospheric Descent
[12]
https://www.nature.com/articles/367624a0
[13]
Fireball FAQs - American Meteor Society
For example, sodium produces a bright yellow color, nickel shows as green, and magnesium as blue-white. The velocity of the meteor also plays an important ...
[14]
[PDF] The fall of the Peekskill meteorite: Video observations, atmospheric ...
Eye-witness accounts indicate that the fireball associated with the Peekskill meteodte first appeared over West Virginia at 23:48 UT (±1 min.). The.Missing: age 4.4 billion years
[15]
Impact
The Peekskill meteorite broke up over the United States on October 9, 1992 and landed on a parked car in Peekskill. The meteor was witnessed by thousands ...
[16]
2011 January 23 - Peekskill Fireball Video: Johnstown - APOD
Jan 23, 2011 · A video of the fireball beyond a high school football game in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, USA, is pictured above. The resulting meteorite is ...
[17]
When a meteorite mashed a Chevrolet in New York - Hagerty Media
Oct 12, 2022 · Shaped like a football, it was only about a foot in diameter, but it was heavy for its size—about 27 pounds. Knapp called the Peekskill Police ...
[18]
Meteorite crashes into Chevy Malibu | October 9, 1992 - History.com
Alarmed, Knapp ran outside to investigate. What she found was startling, to say the least: a sizeable hole in the rear end of her car, an orange 1980 Chevy ...Missing: dent cm
[19]
Car hit by meteorite in Peekskill to head to Paris - LoHud.com
Oct 5, 2017 · Pitt, who is founder and curator of the Macovich Collection of Meteorites, said the Peekskill meteorite car will travel by container ship ...
[20]
Peekskill - Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
The fall of the Peekskill meteorite was recorded by spectators watching Friday night football, allowing scientists to trace the path of the meteorite from ...Missing: radiometric age 4.4 billion years<|separator|>
[21]
https://naturalhistory.si.edu/explore/collections/geogallery/10026298
[22]
Size and exposure history of the Peekskill meteoroid - ResearchGate
Aug 10, 2025 · It fragmented repeatedly into about 70 pieces, and one 12.4-kg H6 chondrite was recovered in Peekskill, New York. ... The fall of the Peekskill ...
[23]
Thirty Years on, the Peekskill Meteorite Still Leaves its Mark
Oct 9, 2022 · But soon Knapp noticed a sulfurous odor coming from the smashed car, and “a football sized rock in a six inch crater” that was “hot to the ...
[24]
How Much are Meteorites Worth? - Geology.com
While you could easily purchase another H6 chondrite for $1/gram or less, a specimen of Peekskill will cost $100 to $200/gram if you can find somebody willing ...
[25]
The Peekskill Meteorite Car Official Website
The Peekskill Meteorite Car (PMC), a 1980 red Chevy Malibu, is one of the two most famous objects struck by a meteorite.Missing: radiometric age 4.4 billion years
[26]
Meet these 5 'celebrity meteorites' - Astronomy Magazine
she purportedly sold the Peekskill meteorite for $50k and her car now travels the world as a Guest ...