Meteoritical Bulletin
The Meteoritical Bulletin is the Meteoritical Society's official record of newly approved meteorites, their names and their classifications.
Every meteorite with an official name has been announced in the Meteoritical Bulletin. It is published by the Meteoritical Society, the international scientific society for meteorite and planetary science, and lists meteorites approved by its Nomenclature Committee. Formal issues appear in the society's journal, and a searchable database is updated far more often between issues.
The Bulletin matters because it is the shared reference that keeps meteorite science consistent. A typical entry records the name, whether it was a fall or a find, the date or year, the location and coordinates, the total known mass, the classification, the shock stage and weathering grade where relevant, key analytical data such as olivine compositions, and where the type specimen is held. It also records changes, such as reclassifications and pairings.
For collectors and museums, the Bulletin is the first place to confirm a meteorite's identity. If a specimen is sold with a name, that name should appear in the official listing with the same classification. For instance, the Winchcombe CM2 carbonaceous chondrite, which fell in Gloucestershire, England, in February 2021, appears with its official details. A name that cannot be found there should be treated with caution.
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