Morasko
Key facts
- Country
- Poland
- Diameter
- 100 m
- Age
- about 5,000 years
- Location
- 52.49° N, 16.90° E
A small group of forested hollows on the northern edge of Poznań, the largest about 100 m across and holding a small pond, protected as a nature reserve.
Morasko, on the northern outskirts of the city of Poznań in western Poland, is one of the few meteorite crater fields in Europe and the only one in Poland. In a quiet forest on a low hill, a group of round hollows marks where fragments of an iron meteorite struck the ground about 5,000 years ago.
The impact. A large iron meteorite broke apart as it entered the atmosphere, and its fragments struck the ground, forming several craters. The largest is about 100 m across and contains a small pond. The others are smaller. The craters formed in soft glacial sediments left by ice-age glaciers, which is one reason they are so well preserved.
The meteorite. Fragments of the Morasko meteorite have been found in the area for well over a century. The meteorite is an iron of group IAB, and it contains inclusions of other minerals, such as troilite and graphite. Some fragments are very large: the largest found so far, dug up in 2012, weighs about 260 kg. Many fragments have been found by scientists and by searchers with metal detectors, although searching within the nature reserve is not allowed.
Recognising the craters. For a long time the hollows at Morasko were thought to be natural features left by the glaciers, or perhaps the result of human activity. Over the twentieth century, the discovery of more and more meteorite fragments around the hollows led scientists to conclude that they were impact craters. Some scientists still discuss whether all the hollows are craters, and how exactly the meteorite broke up. Research continues, including studies of the craters' age and of the sediments inside them.
A nature reserve. The craters are protected within the Meteoryt Morasko nature reserve, created in 1976. The reserve protects both the craters and the forest around them, which is home to many plants and animals. A trail leads around the craters, with information signs. The reserve is close to a university campus, and the craters are popular with walkers and school groups.
Why it matters. Morasko is an example of a crater field formed by an iron meteorite, like Henbury in Australia and Kaali in Estonia. Its location close to a large city makes it one of the most accessible crater fields in the world. The large number of meteorite fragments found there has made it an important site for studying iron meteorites and how they break up in the atmosphere.
Visiting. The reserve is easy to reach from Poznań by public transport. Visitors should stay on paths, and collecting meteorites or other material inside the reserve is forbidden. Outside the reserve, the landowner's permission and local laws apply.
Did you know?
Morasko is the only known meteorite crater field in Poland.
The largest Morasko meteorite found so far weighs about 260 kg.
The craters lie in a nature reserve on the edge of the city of Poznań.