| Příbram meteorite | |
| Type: | Chondrite |
| Class: | Ordinary chondrite |
| Group: | H5 |
| Country: | Czechoslovakia |
| Region: | near Příbram |
| Observed Fall: | Yes |
| Fall Date: | 1959-04-07 19:30 |
| Found Date: | 1959-04-09 (Luhy) |
The Příbram meteorite fell on 7 April 1959 east of Příbram, former Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic).[1] Four pieces were found, the largest having a mass of (near the village of Luhy, Dolní Hbity municipality).
Příbram was the first meteorite whose trajectory was tracked by multiple cameras recording the associated fireball. This allowed its trajectory to be calculated leading to a determination of its orbit and aiding its recovery.[2]
Four pieces were found with a total weight of 5.73kg (12.63lb) out of an estimated 53kg (117lb) weight before break-up.[3] The largest piece found was probably only the second-largest overall.[4] These four pieces were subsequently named after the villages near which they were found:[3]
All pieces are on display in the Czech National Museum in Prague.
The fall was preceded by a bright bolide seen throughout what was then western Czechoslovakia. The light extended to 50km (30miles). At an altitude around 13km (08miles), the meteor broke up. One loud and several quieter explosions were heard. The meteorite was found to have penetrated ploughed land to a depth of 20cm (10inches), bounced, and fallen 30cm (10inches) further on.