A new study, published today by Science Advances, led by experts from the Natural History Museum and the University of Glasgow reports the orbital history and first laboratory analyses of the Winchcombe meteorite, which was recovered only hours after its spectacular fireball lit up the skies over the U.K. in February 2021.

Denis Vida, a Western physics and astronomy postdoctoral associate, was a key contributor to the study. Combining data from five different meteor networks that exist in the U.K. and applying the unique expertise and software that exists at Western, Vida studied the Winchcombe object and can now confirm that it is the carbonaceous meteorite with the best observed orbit in history, and one of the best among all meteorites.

"These techniques and technologies allowed us to pinpoint exactly where this object originated," said Vida, a member of Western's Institute for Earth and Space Exploration. "We developed a new method which allows us to combine both professional and amateur observations. Videos of the fireball collected by astronomy enthusiasts, including Western's Global Meteor Network, made a big difference."

"The rapid retrieval and curation of Winchcombe make it one of the most pristine meteorites available for analysis, offering scientists a tantalizing glimpse back through time to the original composition of the solar system 4.6 billion years ago," said Ashley King, Future Leader Fellow, UK Research and Innovation at the Natural History Museum and author on the paper.