Hoba meteorite, National monument in Grootfontein, Namibia
Hoba is an iron meteorite near Grootfontein in the Otjozondjupa Region. The block measures roughly 2.7 meters in length and width with a height of just under one meter and consists mainly of iron and nickel.
Farmer Jacobus Hermanus Brits struck the mass with his plow in 1920 while it lay buried beneath the soil. Shortly afterward, the government declared the find a protected monument.
The name comes from Khoekhoegowab and connects the site to the language of the region. Visitors today see information panels explaining how herders and farmers knew about the metal block for generations.
The site sits on a farm outside Grootfontein and is reached by an unpaved road. A visitor center offers information, and a stone amphitheater allows views of the meteorite from several angles.
At around 60 tons, it is the heaviest known piece of naturally occurring iron on the surface of the Earth. No one knows exactly when it fell, but estimates place the impact at roughly 80,000 years ago.
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