Howardites
Meteorites of Britain and Ireland · Scotland

The Strathmore meteorite

Four stones over the Scottish valley of Strathmore, one through the roof of a lodge.

Key facts

Fell
3 December 1917
Where
Strathmore, Perthshire and Angus
Type
L6 ordinary chondrite
Mass
about 13.4 kg in four stones
Where it is kept
National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh (two stones) and other collections
Nation today
Scotland

Shortly after one in the afternoon of 3 December 1917, a bright fireball crossed Scotland from the south-east, watched by people up to 60 kilometres away, and ended with a loud detonation. Four stones were recovered along a line about 10 kilometres long in the valley of Strathmore.

One went through the roof of the South Lodge at Keithick. Another, at Carsie, was seen to land by a woman about 20 metres away, and her son dug it out. The largest, of about 10 kilograms, landed in a grass field at Easter Essendy farm, where scattering sheep drew attention to it. The fourth was found four days later on a lawn at Corston, in Angus. Together they weigh about 13.4 kilograms.

Strathmore is an L6 ordinary chondrite. The stones were cold when found, a reminder that the inside of a meteorite stays chilled from space and that its crust cools within minutes. The Easter Essendy and Carsie stones went to what is now the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

Did you know?

Did you know?

Strathmore is the largest meteorite fall recorded in Scotland.

Did you know?

Its four stones lie in a line, the heaviest at one end: the usual pattern of a strewn field.

Find out more

Nearest other British and Irish meteorites