Monnig Meteorite Gallery acquires rare meteorite

Fort Worth, TX

1/8/2008

TCU's Oscar Monnig Meteorite Gallery recently acquired a 45-pound iron meteorite from western Australia. At approximately three feet by two feet, it is the largest slice of iron meteorite in the United States.

The sample is a slice of an Australian meteorite called Mundrabilla. Meteorites are generally named after a geographic location close to the place where it was found. Mundrabilla is a small town in Western Australia.  Several of the masses of the meteorite, which fell in pre-history, weigh a ton or more.

Very few meteor scientists are capable of cutting slices of such large masses. This Mundrabilla slice came to TCU as a trade with a meteorite dealer in Frankfurt, Germany - one of the few people able to slice large masses.  Seven slices were cut from one of the large masses retrieved from the location.  Two slices will remain at a museum in Australia. The other five slices will be offered to major museums. The only major collection in the United States with one of the slices is the Oscar Monnig Meteorite Collection at TCU. The others will remain in Europe.

For more information about the Monnig Meteorite Gallery, visit www.monnigmuseum.tcu.edu or call 817-257-6277.