The Tsarev meteorite is tied to a fall event that occurred on December 6, 1922. Meteorites were not recovered until 1968, when a local farmer found the first specimens. The heavy rocks were not recognized as meteorites until 1979. Samples were eventually analyzed and it was classified as a L5 chondrite. Subsequent searches resulted in the recovery of many large masses and many smaller fragments in a strewnfield that measures approx. 6km from end to end. The location of the fall is recorded as Tsarev village in Volgograd oblast.
The specimen offered here is a professionally-polished endcut. It is polished on one side and three edges. It has a high, mirror-like polish that makes it difficult to photograph without catching glare from the lights. It has a deep black matrix littered with thousands of tiny pin points of shiny metal. It resembles a starry night. There is a 7mm metal nodule exposed on one corner. This piece weighs 90 grams and displays well in several positions.
Refer to the photo. The black centimeter cube is shown for scale and is not included. You are purchasing the specimen shown. Your purchase will include an ID label.
From the Catalog of Meteorites entry on Tsarev :
FALL OF THE TSAREV, USSR, STONY METEORITE
Name: TSAREV
Place of fall: Near Tsarev village, Volgograd district, USSR.
48°42'N., 45°42'E.
Date of fall: December 6, 1922, 0700 hrs (?), found 1968, recognized 1979.
Class and type: Stone. Olivine-hypersthene chondrite (L5).
Number of individual
specimens: 28
Total weight: 1131.7 kg
Circumstances of find: Found in fields, the first few specimens were found by B.G. Nikiforov. The largest mass weighs 284 kg, the smallest 761 g. The greatest distance between the find sites was 6.0 km.
Source: R.L. Khotinok, Committee on Meteorites, Academy of Sciences, Moscow, USSR.
