Chondrite Meteorite (Fell 30th January 1868)

A thumbnail sized, rounded, irregular Chondrite Meteorite, designated the Pultusk meteorite for where it fell at Pultusk in Mazowieckie, Poland.  Chondrites represent the coalition of small grains and dust in the early Solar System from the collapsing planetary accretion disk.  They remain unaltered by either impact melting or differentiation in a parent body.  This meteorite has been characterised as an olivine-bronzite chondrite (H5) known to have a veined and brecciated structure, although this is not recognisable in this small, yet complete, specimen.  This is one of a rare group of meteorites which have been observed as a meteor descending through the atmosphere and whose landing site is hence recognised.  The Pultusk meteorite fall was observed on 30th January 1868.  A fine specimen with an old glued-on label bearing the number 7.60.   The specimen weighs close to 8 grams.