The multiple meteorite fall of Neuschwanstein: Circumstances of the event and meteorite search campaigns

Abstract

A large meteorite fall in southern Germany on April 6, 2002 was captured by camera stations of the European Fireball Network (EN) which routinely monitors the night sky over central Europe. From analysis of the images, a prediction on the geographic location of the meteorite strewn field could be made. Following systematic ground searches in difficult high-mountain terrain, three fragments of a rare EL6 enstatite chondrite were recovered during search campaigns in the summers of 2002 and 2003. Neuschwanstein is the fourth meteorite fall in history that has been photographed by fireball networks and the fragments of which have been found subsequently. It is the first time since the beginning of the EN operation in the early sixties that the photographic observations have made a meteorite recovery possible.