In the far reaches of northern Scandinavia, hidden beneath the mesmerizing Northern Lights, lies the oldest meteorite ever discovered - the legendary Muonionalusta meteorite. With a unique birthmark and a story that spans over a million years, this iron meteorite is a true marvel of nature.

In 1906, a group of children playing near the village of Kitkiöjärvi stumbled upon a heavily rusted stone that piqued their curiosity. They took it home and years later, scientists identified it as the IVA-class “Muonionalusta meteorite”. This fine octahedron, classified as an iron meteorite due to its composition of iron, nickel, and cobalt, fell from the skies over a million years ago, landing in northern Scandinavia, just west of the Swedish-Finnish border.

For four ice ages, the Muonionalusta meteorite remained hidden, waiting for humans to discover its secrets. Its well-proportioned and exquisite pattern is due to the incredible "Widmanstätten texture,” which is formed by the meteorite's extremely slow cooling rate. This pattern is what gives the Muonionalusta meteorite its remarkable beauty.

Check out more history: https://awnl.se/blogs/the-journal/legendary-history-of-swedish-muonionalusta-meteorite?srsltid=AfmBOore1AgfTo3KySfiWZBp-bf_c1daOTcfMeRE1iR_4Hvu8qXVLYIn