Campo del Cielo, Iron meteorite field in Chaco Province, Argentina.
Campo del Cielo is a meteorite field in Chaco Province in northern Argentina covering an area of about 18.5 by 3 kilometers. The site contains at least 26 craters formed by meteorite impacts scattered across the landscape.
Spanish military expeditions first documented this meteorite site in 1576 while searching for iron sources reported by local indigenous populations. This early discovery helped establish that Earth could receive material from space.
The name Campo del Cielo comes from the indigenous term Piguem Nonralta, which Spanish colonizers translated as Field of Heaven. Local peoples gave the place this name because they understood its cosmic origin long before modern science could explain it.
The site lies in a remote region and requires preparation and proper equipment for a visit. The best time to explore is during drier months when trails are easier to navigate.
The site has yielded more than 100 tonnes of meteorite fragments, making it the largest meteorite recovery location on Earth. Many of the meteorites here are iron meteorites with compositions unlike typical Earth rocks.
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