Sariçiçek (Bingöl) Meteorite
Find / Fall: Fall September 2, 2015
Location: Bingol, Turkey
Classification: Howardite
The Sariçiçek (Bingöl) meteorite was observed as a bright bolide late on the night of September 2, 2015 over Sarçiçek Village, in Turkey. Soon after the meteor was seen, meteorites were heard hitting houses in the village of Sariçiçek. The next day small meteorites were found on the street and yards. Within a very short time scientists were at the location and identified the meteorite as a Howardite. Over the months many stones have been recovered from the fall site with one of the larger stones weighing 682.12 grams. Sariçiçek (Bingöl) has been classified as a Howardite.
Howardites are brecciated meteorites made up of clasts of Eucrite and Diogenite material. Howardites are the H of the HED group meteorites which may originate from asteroid 4 Vesta. Like many of the achondrite meteorites, Howardites have a very distinctive and beautiful glassy fusion crust and are among the rarest of the meteorite types.
The Sariçiçek stones often have a fusion crust that is a tan to chocolate brown color in spots. Some of the stones from the fall have exceptional flow lines and flight markings including orientation characteristics such as a lip of melted material around what was the back side during flight.
