The Hoba Meteorite, 20km west of Grootfontein, is the largest single meteorite known in the world today. It was first described by Johannes Hermanus Brits in 1920 and was declared a national monument on 15 March 1955 with the permission of the farm owner at that time, Mrs. O Scheel.
The meteorite weighs approximately 60 tons and measures 2.95 by 2.84 meters. Its thickness varies between 122 and 75 cm. The shallow pits and depressions on the horizontal upper surface of the meteorite are typical of high temperature meteorite corrosion during the passage through the Earth's athmosphere. Minor oxidation has occured on the surface.
Due to the presence of a rare radioactive nickel isotope with half life of less than 80,000 years, scientists were able to determine that the Hoba Meteorite fell to earth less than 80, 000 years ago. Analyses of the age of the meteorite vary between 190 and 410 million years.
The Hoba Meteorite consists of 82.4% iron, 16.4% nickel and 0.76% cobalt. Other elements present are traces of carbon, sulphur, chromium, copper, zinc, gallium, germanium and iridium. Scientifically, it is termed as an ataxite, a meteorite with a high nickel content.
When a meteorite enters the earth's atmosphere at an extremely high speed, the friction is so great that it burns up. In the process, it produces a bright streak of light which is readily visible at night and is commonly called a shooting star. A huge belt of such meteoritic material, the so-called asteroid belt, is present in the space between the planet Mars and Jupiter. Scientists have not yet reached an agreement about the origin of meteorites. It can, however, be stated that whatever falls onto the Earth from space is part of our solar system which developed some 4, 600 million years ago. There are 2 types of meteorites, namely iron and stony meteorites.
Namibia is world-famous for its meteorites. The most extensive meteorite shower known is found in the southern part of the country and is called the Gibeon Meteorite Shower. It is estimated to have occurred over an area of 20, 000 sq. km. The more concentrated centre of the shower extened over an area of approximately 2,500 sq. km. in the vicinity of the village of Gibeon.