Morasko Meteorite Nature Reserve

File:261.8 kg heavy meteoryt Morasko.JPG

The land of the reserve is covered by a forest of oak and hornbeam trees, among which grow a number of uncommon plant species, including{{cite web | title=The "Morasko Meteorite" Reserve | work=Poznań Multimedia City Guide | url=http://www.city.poznan.pl/mim/strony/turystyka/pages.html?co=list&id=186&ch=564&instance=1017&lang=en }}

• Martagon or Turk's cap lily (Lilium martagon)
• Wild ginger (Asarum europaeum)
• Tropical hornwort (Ceratophyllum submersum)

Some uncommon birds can also be found here, including

• The European nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus)
• The black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius)

{{Infobox terrestrial impact site

| name = Morasko craters

| other_name =

| photo =

| photo_caption =

| map = Europe

| map_caption = Asteroid impact location in Europe

| coordinates = {{coord|52|29|24|N|16|53|47|E|region:PL-WP_type:landmark|display=inline}}

| confidence = Confirmed

| diameter = {{cvt|100|m|||}}

| depth = {{cvt| 11|m|||}}

| age = 5 Ka

| exposed =

| drilled =

| imp_size = 115

| bolide =

| country = Poland

| state =

}}

The largest of the seven craters on the reserve has a diameter of about {{Convert|100|m|ft|abbr=off}}, and is about {{Convert|11|m|ft|abbr=off}} deep. Five of the craters, including the largest, contain lakes. The date of formation is estimated to be about 5,000 years ago (Holocene).{{cite web|title=Luminescence dating of the Morasko (Poland), Kaali, Ilumetsa, and Tsõõrikmäe (Estonia) meteorite craters|author1=Wojciech Stankowski |author2=Anto Raukas |author3=Andrzej Bluszcz |author4=Stanisław Fedorowicz |url=http://www.geochronometria.pl/pdf/geo_28/Geo28_04.pdf}}{{cite Earth Impact DB | name = Morasko | accessdate = 2009-08-19}}

The first meteorite found at Morasko was uncovered in 1914 by German soldiers working on the construction of a military fortification. Since then, many further fragments have been found, including one weighing {{Convert|78|kg|lb}} in 1956.

In September 2006, Krzysztof Socha, a meteorite-hunter from Kielce, working for the Geology department of the city's Adam Mickiewicz University, uncovered with the aid of a metal detector a meteorite weighing {{Convert|164|kg|lb|abbr=off}}. At the time this was the largest meteorite discovered in Poland.Jacek Łuczak, Łukasz Cynalewski, "Największy meteoryt w Polsce", Gazeta Wyborcza (2006-12-01), p. 16. Analysis showed that the meteorite contained, apart from iron-nickel alloy, a small quantity of silicates (pyroxenes) not occurring on Earth.

In October 2012, a meteorite weighing about {{Convert|300|kg|lb}} was recovered from a depth of {{Convert|2.1|m|ft|abbr=off|frac=12}} m."Kosmos! Największy w Polsce meteoryt odkryty na Morasku", Gazeta Wyborcza, on-line edition, 2012-10-24 20:38. [http://wyborcza.pl/1,75248,12734544,Kosmos__Najwiekszy_w_Polsce_meteoryt_odkryty_na_Morasku.html (link to the news item in Polish)]. Accessed 2012-10-24.

Adam Mickiewicz University is considering founding an educational centre, to draw attention to the reserve and the subject of meteorite discovery. {{Citation needed|date=June 2018}}

• The reserve contains the 154-metre-high Mount Moraska, the highest point in Poznań.
• The local bus lines 88 and 188 have stops a short distance from the reserve.

{{Reflist}}

{{Refbegin}}

• A. Muszyński, R. Kryza, Ł. Karwowski, A.S. Pilski, J. Muszyńska (Eds.) (2012): Morasko: The largest meteorite shower in Central Europe. Bogucki Wydawnictwo Naukowe, Poznań, Poland, 111 pp. [http://www.elementsmagazine.org/archives/e9_4/e9_4_sn_ptmin.pdf PDF version of review]
• [http://www.mindat.org/loc-68095.html Mindat.org - Morasko meteorite, Poznan, Wielkopolskie, Poland]

{{Refend}}

{{Commons category|Nature reserve Meteoryt Morasko}}

{{Coord|52|29|24|N|16|53|47|E|region:PL-WP_type:landmark|display=title}}

{{Poznań}}

{{Impact cratering on Earth}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Morasko Meteorite Nature Reserve}}

Category:Impact craters of Poland

Category:Holocene impact craters

Category:Poznań

Category:Nature reserves in Poland

Category:Tourist attractions in Greater Poland Voivodeship

Category:Protected areas established in 1976

Category:1976 establishments in Poland