Meteorite hunter
A person who searches for meteorites on the ground, often after a bright fireball has been seen.
A meteorite hunter is someone who looks for rocks that have fallen from space. Some are scientists, some are collectors and some are simply curious people who love being outdoors. Every meteorite in a museum was found by somebody, so hunters help science a great deal.
Hunters often search in places where dark rocks are easy to spot, such as deserts and icy plains. Others race to the area under a newly seen fireball, using camera records to work out where pieces should have landed. In 2021 a meteorite fell on the English town of Winchcombe, and the first piece was found on a driveway. A careful search of nearby fields by a volunteer team found more pieces in the days that followed, and they went to scientists at the Natural History Museum in London.
Good hunters carry a magnet on a stick, a hand lens, gloves, bags and a notebook to write down exactly where each find was made. Most importantly, they always ask the landowner before going onto any land, follow the local laws, and hunt with an adult. Never pick up a fresh find with bare hands if you can avoid it, so it stays clean for scientists.
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Level: Beginner Ages 7 and up