Updated:2013-08-22

Meteorite Action!

2008-11-20 : Buzzard Coulee (Canada)

Spatial and Temporal Informations

Location of fall
Buzzard Coulee (Saskatchewan, Canada)
Coordinates
52°59'46" N, -109°50'53" E
Date of fall
November 20, 2008 17h 26mn 43s ± 3s LT
November 21, 2008 00h 26mn 43s ± 3s UT
Initial velocity
~14 km/s

Video

Click on thumbnail or download
Police Dashcam Video - Devon/Canada
Video : Police Dashcam (Devon, Canada)

Andrew Bartlett Video - Edmonton/Canada
Video : Andrew Bartlett (Edmonton, Canada)

Andrew Bartlett was trying to film planes flying over his downtown apartment on the 10th floor with a digital camera when he caught sight of the meteor and captured it bursting in a ball of gold.

CTV camera security Video - Edmonton/Canada
Video : CTV camera security (Edmonton, Canada)

Diana Dolack Video - Biggar/Canada
Video : Diana Dolack (Biggar, Canada)

Edmonton Airport Video - Edmonton/Canada
Video : Edmonton Airport (Edmonton, Canada)

  • AVI (xvid) ( 360x274 ): 896 Ko
Police Video - ?
Video : Police (?)

  • AVI (xvid) ( 320x238 ): 2088 Ko
  • MPEG       ( 320x238 ): 1103 Ko
CTV Video
Video : CTV

report on the finding of the first stone of the meteorite

? Video - Lloydminster/Canada
Video : ? (Lloydminster, Canada)

  • AVI (xvid) ( 320x214 ): 1781 Ko
  • MPEG       ( 320x214 ): 930 Ko
? Video - Lloydminster/Canada
Video : ? (Lloydminster, Canada)

  • AVI (xvid) ( 320x214 ): 474 Ko
  • MPEG       ( 320x214 ): 272 Ko
motel Video - Lloydminster/Canada
Video : motel (Lloydminster, Canada)

  • AVI (xvid) ( 434x278 ): 3385 Ko
  • MPEG       ( 434x278 ): 759 Ko

Photo

First stone found november 28, 2008

U of C meteorite expert Alan Hildebrand and his Masters students, Ellen Milley, have found several pieces of the meteorite fell on Nov. 20 south of Lloydminster, near the Battle River on the border between Alberta and Saskatchewan. The largest piece weighs around 250 grams.

LONE ROCK, SASK. - At first glance, the biggest discovery of Ellen Milley's life looked anything but exciting.Small, blackish lumps on a frozen pond are the kind of sight easily dismissed while driving along rural roads in Saskatchewan.Yet the University of Calgary master's student was immediately intrigued, knowing these lumps were in the area where a meteor was thought to have exploded last week.Stopping the car, she and her travel partner -- U of C meteorite expert Alan Hildebrand-- gingerly stepped on the ice for a closer look.The first lump they investigated turned out to be a leaf. The second was a stone, but of inconclusive origin.But there was no doubt about the third. Hildebrand recognized it instantly as a cosmic treasure -- a 250-gram piece of frozen space rock. (K. Gerein article - Edmonton journal)

 
Credit: Grady Semmens, University de Calgary
 Alan Hildebrand and Ellen Milley on finding place (Source: CTV)

 
Credit: Grady Semmens, University of Calgary
 Ellen Milley islying next meteorite (Source: CTV)

 
Credit: Bruce Edwards
 Ellen Milley inspect meteorite (Source: Edmonton journal)

 
Credit: Bruce Edwards
 Ellen Milley interviewed on the frozen pond of Lone Rock, where she found the meteorite (Source: Edmonton Journal)

 
Credit: Geoff Howe
 A woman's hand next to the meteorite (Source: AP Photo / The Canadian Press)

 
Credit: Grady Semmens, University of Calgary
 Alan Hildebrand and there largest piece (Source: CTV)

 
Credit: CTV
 Meteorite on the frozen pond

 
Credit: CTV
 A second piece found on place

Main Mass 13 kg

 
Credit: Bruce McCurdy
 

 
Credit: Bruce McCurdy
 13 kg of meteorite created a 13 cm hole before bouncing a few centimeter away

 
Credit: Bruce McCurdy
 Map and coordinate of 13 kg meteorite finding location 50°57'28"N 109°52'16"W

Physical and kinetics Informations

Pre-atmospheric mass of the meteoroid
10000 - 15000 kg
Kinetic energy
0.32 ± 0.09 kt TNT
Sound
Abundant sonic phenomena were reported by witnesses including anomalous sounds, explosion booms, staccato cracks, and late-stage whirring sounds.
Total known weight (TKW)
~50 kg (until 2008 )
<200 fragments:
  • November 27, 2008 : First stone found by Ellen Milley
  • Mass 1g to 13.1kg
  • 13.1 kg
  • 6.99 kg
  • 1.607 kg
  • 1.306 kg
  • 1.201 kg
  • 1.082 kg
Density
3.26 - 2.4 g cm-3
Classification
Ordinary chondrite (H4), S2, W0

Lien

University of Calgary
Buzzard Coulee fireball
December 1, 2008
Bruce McCurdy's webpage
Meteorites of the Buzzard Coulee Strewn Field
December 2, 2008
The Star Phoenix
More meteorite fragments found
December 4, 2008
Edmonton journal
Grad student wins space race
November 29, 2008
CTV
Scientists find fragments of 10-tonne space rock
November 29, 2008
The StarPhoenix
The hunt is on
November 27, 2008
Global TV
Calgary researchers find meteorite bits near Lloydminster
November 29, 2008
Universe Today
2008Canadian Meteor Update: 10-Ton Rock Responsible
November 26, 2008
CTV Canada
Massive fireball lights up the night sky
November 21, 2008
CBC Canada
Reports of meteor streaking across Prairies
November 21, 2008
Meteoritical Bulletin Database
Entry for Buzzard Coulee
 

Reference

Characteristics of bright fireball and meteorite fall at Buzzard Coulee, Saskatchevan, Canada, november 20, 2008
A. R. Hildebrand, E. P. Milley , P. G. Brown, P. J. A. McCausland, W. Edwards, M. Beech, A. Ling, G. Sarty, M. D. Paulson, L. A. Maillet, S. F. Jones and M. R. Stauffer
40th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2009)