Fragment of the Sikhote-Alin iron meteorite that fell to Earth from space in northern Siberia on the morning of 12th February 1947. This was an iron meteorite. A fireball appeared in the north, leaving a trail of smoke and dust in the atmosphere for many kilometres as the meteorite disintegrated. The fragments were scattered over a large area, some making small craters where they landed. This was one of the few iron meteorite falls to be witnessed, and one of the most spectacular. An estimated 23 tonnes of fragments survived the passage through the atmosphere and reached the Earth.