The “Kherlen” meteorite is one of the meteorites that has attracted the attention of scientists worldwide. Preserved at the Natural History Museum, this specimen is a tektite meteorite with a glass-like structure, unlike typical stony or iron meteorites.

At around 1:00 a.m. on March 22, 1950, the meteorite fell about 80 km south of the Kherlen River, at a place called Uudiin-Am in Dornod aimag. Many local residents witnessed the incident and described a loud noise and a bluish-green flame as it descended. Upon impact, it melted thick snow in the surrounding area, burned vegetation over an area roughly the size of a traditional ger base, and created a deep crater where it embedded into the ground.

Named “Kherlen,” the meteorite weighs 32.7 kg and measures approximately 2 meters in length and over 1 meter in width. It has a rounded, relatively thin form with a glossy, enamel-like underside. Its appearance is glassy, brownish-green in color, and it is a lightweight yet hard metal rock.

Similar meteorites had previously been found in countries such as former Czechoslovakia, former Soviet Union, the United States, Ivory Coast, South Asia, and Australia. However, since none had been directly observed falling, scientists had long debated whether they were truly meteorites. The “Kherlen” meteorite provided crucial evidence which confirmed that such tektites are indeed of extraterrestrial origin.

Additionally, in 1969, samples of lunar soil brought back to Earth during the Apollo 11 Moon Landing contained rock material with a composition similar to these glassy meteorites.  

Published Date:2026-04-10