Sikhote-Alin iron meteorite is the largest observed meteorite fall in modern history. A shower of fireballs rained down upon the thick forest of the Sikhote-Alin mountains of Eastern Siberia in Russia on February 12, 1947 at 10:38 hours. The flaming fireball, as bright as the sun cast moving shadows in broad daylight as it passed by observers. It is estimated that over 23,000 kilograms fell that morning, leaving a smoke trail which could be seen in the sky for hours. The meteorite impacted the mountains with a huge explosion which was felt over 100 miles away. It made over 120 craters of varying sizes. The largest reported crater was 20 feet deep and 85 feet across. It blasted fragments in every direction. Pieces were even found embedded in nearby trees.
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Painting of the 1947 Fall of Sikhote-Alin
The largest crater at the Sikhote-Alin Fall.For scale note the man standing in the lower left of the picture.
A Russian man standing in a 12.8 meter crater. The impact uprooted and crushed nearby trees.
A 13.5 kilogram fragment embedded deep in a cedar tree.
Large 134.5 kilogram fragment that struck a 2.8 meter crater.
Geologist investigating the impact site.
Large fragment is taken away from the site. 1950
A huge fragment not weighing less than 1,745 kg becomes by means of a rope wind secured at a truck. 1950
Images, text are Copyright 2007 by Michael Johnson SIKHOTE-ALIN.ORG No reproduction without written permission.
Russian geologists use a mine-detector in the crater No.55
A 300 kilogram meteorite comes out of crater No.38
Crew member inside of crater No. 10, already filled to the half
with water, in the early summer 1947
Crew members inside of crater no. 5, filled with meteorite
debris and rock gravel; this crater has a diameter of 18.4 meters.
Medvedjev's painting of Sikhote-Alin impact was template for
the Soviet stamp to the 10th anniversary in 1957.
The Tunguska researcher Kulik on a Soviet stamp from the year 1958.
Transport of the first expedition of Committee on meteorites on a way to a place of falling Sikhote-Alin meteorite. April, 1947
Sikhote-Alin embedded in tree.
