We got asked on twitter this morning whether this solar panel had indeed been hit and shattered by a meteorite. It looks like a pretty heavy impact and would be really cool if it’s true … But unfortunately, it’s probably not. 🙁 Gretchen is a meteorite expert and she says “I would say not – because micrometeorites are really, really micro – which means […]
A new meteorite I bring unto you!
The Gospel according to Luke: A new meteorite I bring unto you! This is a story 4.5 Billion years in the making, it is a story about perseverance in the face of adversity, and how hard work and a bit of serendipity can produce the most miraculous stories. It begins 4.5 Ga in the fiery cauldron of our solar systems birth! Out […]
Digging up the DFN’s first meteorite
Digging up our first meteorite (yet to be officially named*) was a massive team effort and a huge relief. It’s also been a news sensation and you can read about it on WA Today, SBS News, The Washington Post, Time Magazine and most everywhere you look on the internet today**. The search story is breathtaking, and the awesome teamwork and science that has led […]
The Mission
Luke’s Wolfe Creek blog in August was so entertaining that we asked him to put pen to paper again on his next journey. Turns out, we didn’t have to wait long. Luke’s journal continues … (the story started with On the Road Again) The Mission Most expeditions are content with one aim, for example: hunting for a meteorite. This is generally more than enough excitement for […]
On the road again
Luke’s Wolfe Creek blog in August was so entertaining that we asked him to put pen to paper again on his next journey. Turns out, we didn’t have to wait long. Luke’s journal continues … So 10 days ago I got a message saying: “We are organising a trip to recover some meteorites that have fallen in South Australia.” I, of course, jumped to […]
Winners in the DFN!
Congratulations to our recent winners in the DFN – Lucy, Luke and Rob! At this year’s MetSoc – Meteoritical Society Conference – Lucy Forman won one of five Wiley Student Awards for outstanding presentation for her explanation of her work on the Allende meteorite. It will be presented at next year’s meet in Berlin. You can read a bit more about the team’s trip to MetSoc in […]
DFN joins Murchison Widefield Array (MWA)
A few of the team headed up to Murchison last month to install two Desert Fireball Network cameras next to a pod of the Murchison Widefield Array’s low frequency radio telescopes. This project is exciting on two levels: we’re expanding the DFN into the Murchison area and sharing the space with our friends from the Curtin Institute for Radio Astronomy (CIRA), and it’s […]
Meteorite or Meteorwrong?
How do you know if it’s a meteorite or meteorwrong? Ever wondered whether that weird looking rock you saw was something special? Tens of thousands of meteorites fall to Earth every year, so perhaps you actually found a meteorite on that last camping trip. We’ve adapted a flow chart from some planetary scientists* to help you determine if that rock is from […]
WOLFE CREEK EXPEDITION DAY EIGHT
Luke, Martin and Jarryd headed off to Wolfe Creek meteorite crater in remote WA last week. The plan was to make a 3D image of the crater using a drone, map the crater, take some samples (to analyse for shock or melt glass and confirm the date of impact) and combine it all to make a virtual fieldwork laboratory so that anyone […]
WOLFE CREEK EXPEDITION DAY SIX, SEVEN
Luke, Martin and Jarryd headed off to Wolfe Creek meteorite crater in remote WA last week. The plan was to make a 3D image of the crater using a drone, map the crater, take some samples (to analyse for shock or melt glass and confirm the date of impact) and combine it all to make a virtual fieldwork laboratory so that anyone […]