Are there bigger meteorites than Hoba?

In one line

The rule

A meteorite is a solid piece of debris from space that survives its journey through the atmosphere and lands on Earth.

Let's understand it simply

Imagine a cricket ball flying through the air. Now, imagine a rock from space, much bigger than a cricket ball, falling towards Earth. If it survives the heat and pressure of entering our atmosphere and lands on the ground, we call it a meteorite. The Hoba meteorite is the biggest one we have ever found lying on the ground. But in space, there are rocks much, much bigger.

How it works

1. Space is full of rocks and metal pieces, called meteoroids.
2. When a meteoroid enters Earth’s atmosphere, it heats up and glows—this is a meteor (shooting star).
3. If it survives the journey and lands, it becomes a meteorite.
4. Most big space rocks break up or burn before reaching the ground.
5. Hoba is the biggest single piece found on the ground, but some craters show even bigger ones hit Earth long ago.

The story behind it

The Hoba meteorite was found in Namibia, Africa, in 1920 by a farmer ploughing his field. It weighs about 60,000 kg (60 tonnes). Scientists believe it fell to Earth around 80,000 years ago. No one has found a bigger single meteorite on the surface yet.

Where you see it in real life

• Hoba meteorite (Namibia): Largest single meteorite found on the ground (about 60 tonnes).
• Craters like Chicxulub (Mexico): The crater is huge, made by a meteorite much bigger than Hoba, but the actual rock broke up or melted.
• Willamette meteorite (USA): Weighs about 15.5 tonnes, smaller than Hoba but still huge.
• Campo del Cielo (Argentina): Many pieces, largest about 31 tonnes, but not a single block like Hoba.
• Meteor showers: Small pieces burn up in the sky, but rarely, big ones reach the ground.

Why it matters

• Shows us what space rocks are made of—mostly iron and nickel.
• Helps scientists understand how planets and the solar system formed.
• Big meteorites can cause huge craters and even change life on Earth (like the one that killed the dinosaurs).
• Museums display meteorites to teach us about space.

Common mistakes

• Thinking Hoba is the biggest rock from space ever—it’s the biggest found on Earth’s surface, but bigger ones have hit and broken up.
• Mixing up meteor, meteoroid, and meteorite. Remember: meteoroid (in space), meteor (shooting star), meteorite (on ground).
• Believing all meteorites are huge—most are small, like pebbles or cricket balls.

Remember it

Hoba is the biggest meteorite you can visit on Earth, but space has even bigger rocks!