description Allende Overview
The Allende meteorite is a CV3 carbonaceous chondrite that fell over the Mexican state of Chihuahua in February 1969. It contains calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions, refractory components that formed during the earliest stages of the Solar System and rank among its oldest dated solid materials. The large amount of recovered material has made Allende an important scientific reference for studying planetary formation, isotopic composition, and early Solar System chemistry.
insights Ranking position
Allende ranks #1 of 213 in the Meteorite ranking, ahead of Murchison.
help Allende FAQ
Where and when did the Allende meteorite fall?
Allende fell in the Mexican state of Chihuahua on February 8, 1969, producing a large shower of fragments. It is classified as a CV3 carbonaceous chondrite and became one of the most extensively studied meteorites.
Why are Allende's calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions important?
These inclusions, commonly called CAIs, condensed during the solar system's earliest history. Some have radiometric ages of about 4.567 billion years, making them among the oldest solid materials scientists can examine directly.
Can visitors recognize an Allende fragment by sight?
Many pieces have a dark fusion crust formed during atmospheric entry and a gray interior containing pale inclusions and rounded chondrules. Visual appearance alone is not enough for authentication because terrestrial rocks and other chondrites can look similar.
How is Allende different from the Murchison meteorite?
Allende is a CV3 carbonaceous chondrite known especially for refractory inclusions, while Murchison is a CM2 chondrite famous for water-altered minerals and organic molecules. Both fell in 1969, but they preserve different records of early solar-system chemistry.
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