The second fragment of the Al Khor meteorite has been found after a four-month search, Sheikh Salman bin Jabor al-Thani, head of Qatar Astronomical Centre, has announced on his X account.
After testing, it was confirmed to be an iron meteorite, he said. The search was conducted along the identified trajectory using drones and by walking long distances in the desert. Preliminary estimates indicate that the identified path extends for more than 10km.
Sheikh Salman explained that specialised teams were able to locate the new fragment after continuous efforts that included using drones to track the likely meteorite fall path, as well as walking long distances in desert areas under challenging field conditions that required great precision and patience.
He added that preliminary tests conducted on the meteorite revealed that it is an iron meteorite, a rare type of great scientific importance due to the valuable information it provides about the formation of planets and the history of the solar system.
He pointed out that the trajectory determined for the meteorite’s fall extends initially over 10km, reflecting the magnitude of the challenge faced by the search teams, while also confirming the success of the scientific methodology. He further stressed that the search efforts are still ongoing, with a focus on scientifically documenting the phenomenon and collecting as much evidence as possible to support astronomical research and enhance scientific knowledge in this field within Qatar and the region.