Old Woman meteorite, Iron meteorite in San Bernardino County, California, United States.
The Old Woman meteorite is an iron meteorite discovered in the Old Woman Mountains in the Mojave Desert. The object consists mainly of iron with a nickel component and displays the characteristic structure of meteorites that traveled through space for millions of years.
Three prospectors discovered this meteorite in 1976 in the Old Woman Mountains. The discovery led to legal disputes between the finders and scientific institutions over ownership and use of the object.
Scientists and geologists study this specimen to understand the formation of celestial bodies and early solar system dynamics through its composition analysis.
The meteorite can be seen in two locations: the main portion is at the Desert Discovery Center in Barstow, while a separate fragment is displayed in Los Angeles. Visitors can explore both sites to view different aspects of this rare object.
Military forces played a role in the recovery of this massive object, which represents one of the largest meteorite discoveries in North America. This size makes it a rarely seen find, as meteorites of this dimension are only occasionally discovered on Earth.
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