{"id":671189,"date":"2026-07-03T06:56:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T06:56:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/671189\/"},"modified":"2026-07-03T06:56:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T06:56:12","slug":"hunt-continues-for-meteorite-fragments-scattered-across-highlands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/671189\/","title":{"rendered":"Hunt continues for meteorite fragments scattered across Highlands"},"content":{"rendered":"

A meteorite thought to be the first recorded fall in Scotland for more than a century came down in the Highlands last summer.<\/p>\n

A bright orange fireball was spotted shooting across the night sky, accompanied by a loud bang, with the spectacular event captured on mobile phones, home security cameras and doorbells from Glasgow and Stirling to Argyll and Bute and the Isle of Lewis.<\/p>\n

Today, the shattered fragments are waiting to be found across a remote, 27-kilometre stretch in the Highlands.<\/p>\n

Now that summer is in full swing, researchers are asking outdoor enthusiasts and Munro-baggers to keep their eyes peeled for a piece of space history.<\/p>\n

Planetary scientist Dr Aine O\u2019Brien says their analysis has traced the meteor to the asteroid belt orbiting between Mars and Jupiter.<\/p>\n

She says scientists are excited by the prospect of studying the meteorite, which could provide more clues about the origins of our planet.<\/p>\n

\"TheAdrian CollThe object was seen by Adrian Coll while searching for his friend\u2019s missing dog at the roadside at Loch Long at Coulport Naval Base on Wednesday night. Adrian Coll<\/p>\n

She told STV News: \u201cThese little minerals are basically the earliest things to form in the Solar System \u2013 4.5 billion years old.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe grains in them really tell us, by studying them, exactly what was happening in the Solar System before the Earth was formed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meteors are bits of rock that burn up when they enter the Earth\u2019s atmosphere, creating streaking light across the sky.<\/p>\n

Using footage captured by the public, experts at the UK Fireball Alliance have managed to reconstruct the meteor\u2019s final moments and track its journey backwards through the Solar System.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen a fireball enters the atmosphere, it burns up until a height of about 30 kilometres,\u201d says Dr O\u2019Brien.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt that point, it\u2019s slowed down too much to look like a light anymore. But if you\u2019ve seen that view from enough angles, you can triangulate it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ScientistsJamie Shepherd of the Astronomical Society of EdinburghScientists have plotted where the meteorite fragments may be Jamie Shepherd of the Astronomical Society of Edinburgh<\/p>\n

Hunting for the space rocks is a formidable task. The 27km-wide fall line is located in one of the most isolated parts of the UK, with three Munros along the fall line.<\/p>\n

Studies of the footage suggest that smaller fragments of up to 100 grams were dropped to the west as the fireball travelled across Stob Coire Easain and Chno Dearg, before larger chunks of up to 10kg fell over Ben Alder.<\/p>\n

Some of the smallest pieces, weighing less than 10 grams, are thought to be scattered near Loch Treig, one of the most remote parts of the Highlands. The area, which is home to the \u2018Hermit of Treig\u2019 \u2013 once described as Britain\u2019s loneliest man \u2013 is covered in shoulder-height ferns and thick heather.<\/p>\n

\"TheAdrian CollThe object was seen by Adrian Coll at Loch Long at Coulport Naval Base. Adrian Coll<\/p>\n

The largest chunks, weighing between 3kg and 5kg, are believed to be sitting on the broad summit plateau of Ben Alder, one of Scotland\u2019s hardest-to-reach Munros.<\/p>\n

Researchers stressed the area should only be approached by walkers properly equipped for remote mountain conditions.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt takes about a 12-hour walk minimum from the nearest road to get to the bottom,\u201d Dr O\u2019Brien warns. \u201cThen you\u2019ve got to climb the mountain\u2026 You\u2019ve got to be pretty hardcore.\u201d<\/p>\n

A 14-member search party attempted a recovery expedition last August, but a severe thunderstorm forced them to abandon the mountain peak.<\/p>\n

A further trip has been delayed until next spring, meaning the fragments could remain undiscovered for another year.<\/p>\n

\"PiecesJamie Shepherd of the Astronomical Society of EdinburghPieces of the meteorite are scattered across an area spanning 27km, according to scientists Jamie Shepherd of the Astronomical Society of Edinburgh<\/p>\n

The last meteorite recovered on Scottish soil was in Strathmore in 1917, which now sits in Perth Museum.<\/p>\n

Scientists estimate that there could be anywhere from 20kg to 40kg of total material scattered across the landscape \u2013 a massive haul compared to the 600g recovered from the Winchcombe meteorite that fell on an English doorstep during the 2021 lockdown.<\/p>\n

For Scots out bagging Munros this summer, the UK Fireball Alliance have outlined what to look out for and how to handle a potential find.<\/p>\n

Dr O\u2019Brien says members of the public should look for a dark rock that looks \u201cout of place\u201d from the other rocks around it. At around 30% iron, it may also look quite rusty.<\/p>\n

\"TheNorma MacleodThe object, thought to be a meteor, was caught by Norma Macleod\u2019s CCTV on Wednesday night. Norma Macleod\"TheNorma MacleodThe object, thought to be a meteor, was caught by Norma Macleod\u2019s CCTV on Wednesday night. Norma Macleod<\/p>\n

People searching in the area are also being asked not to handle any potential meteorites directly.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re going to the area, take a sandwich bag and some tin foil with you to pick it up with. Please don\u2019t pick it up with your bare hands \u2013 not because it\u2019s toxic, but because of contamination.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake a photo of it in its environment first before you touch it. If you can, record the coordinates.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce we find one piece and have the GPS coordinates, the maths wizards can refine where the other bits fell.\u201d<\/p>\n

Any discoveries can be reported on the UK Fire Ball Alliance website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Unlike regular archaeological finds, there is currently no explicit rule in Scots law regarding who owns a fallen meteorite.<\/p>\n

The UK Fire Ball Alliance operates under the principle that the rock legally belongs to the landowner. The group liaises with owners to encourage them to donate finds to National Museums Scotland, where they can be preserved and studied by researchers and enjoyed by the public.<\/p>\n

NatureScot noted that meteorite deposits are considered the property of the landowner under Scots law.<\/p>\n

They also urge people exploring the outdoors to do so responsibly and in line with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson said: \u201cWhile we understand public interest in this extra-terrestrial aspect of Scotland\u2019s nature, meteorite deposits are the property of the landowner. So, if meteorite fragments are found, landowner permission must be sought, and we encourage people to contact the National Museum or a research institute to record their finds.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cNatureScot encourages responsible enjoyment of nature and the outdoors, ensuring care for the environment, respecting the interest of other people and taking responsibility for your own actions \u2013 the outdoors cannot be made risk-free so act with care at all times for your own safety and that of others, as advised in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Dr O\u2019Brien, helping people engage with science is one of the most exciting parts of the search.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we were on our expedition, what was amazing were there were families out looking for parts of the meteorite.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving those conversations, getting people thinking about science, getting out and about in nature, can only be a good thing. It\u2019s very wholesome.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis summer, you could be bagging a meteorite as well as a Munro.\u201d<\/p>\n

STV News is now on WhatsApp<\/p>\n

Get all the latest news from around the country<\/p>\n

Follow STV News <\/a>Follow STV News on WhatsApp<\/p>\n

Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country<\/p>\n

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