description Krasnojarsk Overview
Krasnojarsk is a pallasite meteorite discovered in Siberia and first examined scientifically after specimens reached Peter Simon Pallas in the eighteenth century. Its mixture of olivine crystals and iron-nickel metal became the model for the meteorite class later named pallasites. Ernst Chladni cited the mass in his argument that meteorites came from space, helping change scientific understanding of stones and metal found after atmospheric falls.
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Krasnojarsk ranks #17 of 213 in the Meteorite ranking, behind Aguas Zarcas, ahead of EETA79001.
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Why is the Krasnojarsk meteorite also called Pallas's Iron?
The naturalist Peter Simon Pallas examined the Siberian mass after learning of it during his travels in the 1770s. Its unusual mixture of metal and olivine later inspired the name pallasite for this meteorite class.
What does the inside of the Krasnojarsk meteorite look like?
Cut sections reveal translucent olivine crystals embedded in an iron-nickel framework. This combination makes pallasites visually distinct from both ordinary stony meteorites and nearly solid iron meteorites.
How did Krasnojarsk help prove that meteorites come from space?
Krasnojarsk became an important specimen in Ernst Chladni's late-18th-century argument that unusual stones and metal masses fall from the sky. Its documented natural origin challenged explanations that such material was manufactured or produced by Earthly processes.
When was the Krasnojarsk meteorite found?
The mass was found near Krasnoyarsk in Siberia in 1749, decades before meteorite falls were widely accepted by European scientists. Its early documentation made it central to the emerging science of meteoritics.
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