The meteorite that fell to Earth near Berlin in January this year is about 4,5 billion years old and belongs to a rare class of aubrites, scientists found in a study published in the journal "Meteoritics and Planetary Science" (Meteoritics & Planetary Science).

Small asteroid 2024 BH1 burned up in the atmosphere near Berlin on January 21 in a spectacular sky show. The fragments fell to the ground in the Haveland region, in the Brandenburg state that surrounds the German capital, and many have been collected by scientists and collectors. "Deutsche Welle."

Approximately 202 fragments with a total weight of 1,8 kilograms were found in a field near the Brandenburg villages of Riebeck, Berge and Litzow, scattered over an area of ​​1,5 by 10 kilometers. Scientists named the Rybek meteorite after the place where it was found.

A study by researchers led by the University of Münster's Institute of Planetology revealed that Riebeck belongs to an extremely rare class of aubrites that are rich in magnesium and silicon. Riebeck has a special status in this rare class because the rock contains an extremely high percentage of the silicate mineral feldspar.

The research team hypothesizes that Riebeck's parent body is about 4,5 billion years old and originated in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

The scientists also explained the reason why the fragments smell strongly of hydrogen sulfide, similar to the smell of rotten eggs. Namely, the chemical reactions between the minerals and the moisture caused the smell and changed the mineralogy of the rock.

🎞 A meteor lit up the sky near Berlin. Do we have to worry about being hit by rocks from space here on Earth? ☄️🌍 #Sar2736 #2024BX1 pic.twitter.com/HNJpWjHwvs

— DW Science (@dw_scitech) January 26, 2024