Luotolax Meteorite Quick Facts
- Name: Luotolax
- Year Discovered: 1813
- Approximate Recovery Location: Savitaipale, South Karelia, Mainland Finland, Finland
- Precise Recovery Location: (61.2, 27.7)
- Mass: 885 grams
- Classification: Howardite
- Discovery Type: fall
- Condition: Valid
More Details About the Luotolax Meteorite
The Luotolax meteorite was discovered in 1813. It was recovered in Savitaipale, South Karelia, Mainland Finland, Finland (61.2, 27.7). It has a mass of 885 grams.
Luotolax is considered a “Valid” meteorite. “Valid” meteorites are typical meteorites with average weathering, while “relict” meteorites are those that have been extremely altered, either due to weathering over time or human intervention.
Luotolax’s official classification is Howardite. The classification “Howardite” refers to a type of stony meteorite known as an achondrite, which lacks chondrules and is believed to have originated from a differentiated parent body. Howardites, in particular, are a common type of achondrite that are thought to be mixtures of eucrites and diogenites, and they often contain minerals like pyroxene and plagioclase, with some of them being rich in solar-wind noble gases, indicating that they may be regolith breccias possibly originating from the asteroid 4 Vesta.
The Luotolax meteorite is a “fall” meteorite. Meteorites are classified as “falls” if they were observed falling and recovered, while “finds” are those discovered later, often weathered by longer exposure to Earth’s environment and without a record of being seen as they fell.
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Last Updated: 12/29/23