The Paragould Meteorite on display in Mullins Library at the University of Arkansas in Fayettville, Arkansas
The Paragould Meteorite is the third largest meteorite ever recovered in North America. It fell to earth at approximately 4:08AM February 17, 1930. It was discovered by W. H. Hodges in an 8 foot hole on his farm a few miles southwest of Finch, Arkansas. It was then purchased by Harvey Nininger who later sold it to the Field Museum of Natural Study, Chicago. It has been on loan to the Arkansas-Oklahoma Center for Space and Planetary Science since November of 2003, and is on display in Mullins Library, at the University Of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. ImageMetadata File history File links PA110654. ... ImageMetadata File history File links PA110654. ... Bacubirito in Culiacan, Mexico is the second largest meteorite in the Americas, and fifth largest in the world A meteorite is a small extraterrestrial body that reaches the Earths surface. ... World map showing North America (geographically) A satellite composite image of North America North America is a continent in the northern hemisphere, bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by... February 17 is the 48th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1930 is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... University of Arkansas The University of Arkansas (also known as the U. of A. or simply The Hill) is a public, coeducational, land-grant university system. ... Fayetteville is a city located in Washington County, Arkansas, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 58,047. ...
The largest of the meteorite’s pieces was over 800 pounds (370 kilograms), which, by itself, is currently the second-largest meteorite observed in its descent and later recovered.
In 1930, the larger piece was the largest meteorite in the history of the world to be seen in its descent and the largest stony meteoroid in the world.
The Paragouldmeteorites are a rare type of LL5 Chrondrite, almost totally stone, as opposed to the other two types of meteorites—irons and stony-irons.
Nevertheless, while he was in the area, Nininger was able to calculate the meteorite's trajectory and arrange for the purchase of any additional masses that he suspected might eventually be found.
Prior to the events surrounding the fall and recovery of the Paragouldmeteorite, Nininger was forced to balance his passion for finding meteorites with his necessity for earning a regular salary, which he accomplished by teaching biology and geology at McPherson College, in Kansas.
At the time of its fall, the Paragouldmeteorite was the largest known witnessed fall, and the largest intact stony meteorite in existence.
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