The Příbram Meteorite
In 1959, cameras in Czechoslovakia photographed a fireball as it fell, and for the first time scientists traced a meteorite back to its orbit in space.
What was reported
On the evening of 7 April 1959, a brilliant fireball crossed the sky over central Czechoslovakia. It was photographed by cameras at two stations of the Ondřejov Observatory, which had been set up to record meteors.
Several stones were later found near the town of Příbram. They were ordinary stony meteorites.
Explanations offered
Using the photographs, astronomers calculated the fireball's path and worked out the orbit the meteorite had followed around the Sun, which reached out into the asteroid belt. It was the first time this had been done, and it proved that meteorites come from asteroids. Camera networks around the world now do the same.
- When
- 7 April 1959
- Where
- Příbram, Central Bohemia, Czech Republic
- Witnesses
- Astronomers at Ondřejov Observatory and the public
- Status
- Confirmed
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.