Winchcombe Meteorite puts town on the map!

On 28th February 2021, a meteorite landed on a driveway in town. The finders contacted the Natural History Museum and carefully scooped up the pristine fragments, and preserved them for analysis by the eminent scientific team at the Natural History Museum.

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The Winchcombe Meteorite is one of only 51 to have carbonaceous chondrite as the main component. Over 65,000 other meteorites have been recorded as landing on earth since records began over 200 years ago.

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The event hit the scientific headlines around the world, and one of the scientists in the team who first analysed it said that it was the most incredible discovery in their lifetime.

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The finders, Rob and Cathryn and Hannah Wilcock wanted to ensure that the amazing discovery on their drive was turned to the benefit of both science generally and also the Community of Winchcombe, especially young people. And they have asked that a part of the meteorite is given to Winchcombe Museum.

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We are very grateful for the generosity and thoughtfulness of the Wilcock family.

We will be planning how to incorporate a display on the Winchcombe Meteorite into the plans to transform the Museum.

The Natural History Museum were keen to share their initial findings with the Community as soon as possible.

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Winchcombe Museum and Peter O'Sullivan decided to work with them, to enable the Community and Winchcombe to be some of the first to see their findings.

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 Scientists from the Natural History Museum and the Open University returned 'virtually' in a Zoom session. This enabled the finders Rob, Cathryn and Hannah Wilcock and the scientists to tell their story and give an enthralling account of the significance of what was found.

Over 250 pupils from Winchcombe Abbey Primary, Winchcombe School and Isbourne Valley School, together with 150 residents of Winchcombe learned that

The Winchcombe Meteorite landed mainly in Winchcombe, but it left a trail of fragments as far back as Woodmancote.

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Most meteors burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere. Around 500g of meteorite have been found, and more is likely to be in the trail path, yet to be fully explored.

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Winchcombe Museum is looking forward to working with the Wilcocks, the Natural History Museum and the Community, to bring more of this amazing scientific discovery to the Community over the next few years.

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If you want to help the Museum to realise this project, which we want all the Community to benefit from, then please get in touch.

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You can read even more about the Winchcombe Meteorite  on the Cheltenham Museum website: https://www.cheltenhammuseum.org.uk/event/hidden-cheltenham-the-winchcombe-meteorite/

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To follow the  amazing story of the Wilcox's discovery and  updates on the Winchcombe Meteorite 

 

 

CLIKCK ON THE LINK BELOW

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https://winchcombemeteorite.org/

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