The first clear indication that ‘Blaubeuren’ is a meteorite
The first clear indication that ‘Blaubeuren’ is a meteorite
After sending images, the finder sent a fragment weighing 23.4 grams, cut off from the main ‘Blaubeuren’ mass, to the DLR meteorite expert Dieter Heinlein. After a visual inspection, the expert recognised the presence of iron ore, but then he took a diamond saw and cut the small piece open. Heinlein then saw a matrix of millimetre-sized chondrules, spheres that are typical for stony meteorites. These small chondrules were created during the formation of the Solar System 4.5 billion years ago and represent the basic building blocks of all the planets. He also discovered characteristic metal inclusions. Thus, it was confirmed that this fragment was indeed part of a meteorite.
