2026 Koblenz meteor
Meteor fireball that fell over western Europe
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At 18:55 CET on 8 March 2026, a bright fireball was seen across Western Europe traveling from the southwest.[1]
| 2026 Koblenz meteor | |
|---|---|
Fragment of the meteorite, recovered from Koblenz-Güls | |
| Country | Germany |
| Region | Rhineland-Palatinate |
| Fall date | 8 March 2026 |
History
The fireball, caused by a meteor estimated to be up to a few meters in diameter,[2] disintegrated in an air burst at an altitude of about 50 kilometres (31 mi) and scattered meteorite fragments across western Germany.[3] Some falling fragments damaged residential buildings in Koblenz and the Eifel and Hunsrück areas. One fragment smashed a football-sized hole through the roof of a residential building in the district of Güls in Koblenz, damaging a bedroom. Though people were in the building at that time, no injuries were reported.[3][4] Several centimeter-sized fragments were quickly recovered from the damaged building.[5] The recovered fragments were identified as probable chondrites, the most common type of stony meteorite, though definitive identification requires laboratory analysis.[3]
As of 20 March 2026[update], 3,228 sightings of the fireball were reported to the International Meteor Organization.[1] Emergency phone calls in Koblenz surged following the fireball's passage;[3] local police quickly ruled out a rocket strike or plane crash.[6][7]
See also
- 2024 BX1 – small asteroid that disintegrated over Berlin in January 2024