Saint-Séverin

Saint-Séverin is classified as an LL6 ordinary chondrite. The "LL" designation means it has very low total iron content compared to other ordinary chondrites, and the "6" indicates it has undergone heavy thermal metamorphism. This means its original chondrules have been mostly fused into a solid rock.

This meteorite fell near the town of Saint-Séverin in southwestern France on 27 June 1966. It was a widely witnessed event that resulted in the recovery of over a dozen fragments. The fall was famously observed by a local farmer who heard the sonic boom.

Because it was a witnessed fall, scientists were able to study freshly recovered material that had minimal terrestrial weathering. As an equilibrated LL6 chondrite, it provides researchers with a pristine standard for understanding the thermal history of asteroids. It has been used extensively in isotopic dating studies.

The fall of Saint-Séverin produced a substantial amount of material, with the largest single mass weighing around 100 kilograms. The multiple fragments were recovered shortly after the 1966 event, allowing researchers to piece together a documented terrestrial history. It is one of the largest ordinary chondrites to fall in France.