Disclaimer: The Massachusetts Geological Survey does not provide identification or appraisal
services for potential meteorites.
Massachusetts Meteorites
According to the Meteoritical Society, only two meteorites have been recorded in modern times within Massachusetts, the Northampton meteorite and the Barnstable meteorite. The Northampton meteorite is an iron meteorite discovered in Northampton, Massachusetts, in 1963. The Barnstable meteorite is an H4 meteorite, a type of stony meteorite, found in Barnstable, Massachusetts, in 2018[2].
Think you found a meteorite?
It’s probably not a meteorite
Many people stumble upon strange-looking rocks and wonder if they’ve found something extraterrestrial. While meteorites do fall to Earth, their occurrence is rare. Within the United States, a total of 1,944 official meteorites have been found. Of the 1,944 meteorites, only 168 of them were observed and recovered as meteorite falls (seen falling and then recovered) [2].
To put this into perspective:
- On average, there has been one meteorite found for every 2,000 square miles in the United States [1].
- Over the past 212 years, the United States has averaged about 9 confirmed meteorite finds per year [1].
- Of the official meteorites found in the United States, only 2 out of the 1,944 total meteorite finds have been officially recorded in Massachusetts. This is about 0.1% of all meteorite finds in the entire country.
Common Meteorite Mistakes
While it's exciting to think you’ve found a meteorite, these statistics showcase just how rare finding a meteorite is, especially within the state of Massachusetts. Instead, many people often mistake common rocks found on Earth as meteorites due to similarities in appearance and properties.
Common meteorite look-alikes include:
- Basalt and other volcanic rocks
- Magnetic minerals like hematite and magnetite
- Sedimentary rock concretions
Basalt [1] Hematite concretion [1] Sedimentary Concretion [3]
One of the most commonly mistaken materials for meteorites is slag, a byproduct of historical metal smelting and glass production, which can appear throughout Massachusetts due to its industrial past. Slag, like most meteorites, can be magnetic and have a glassy crust-like surface. However, unlike true meteorites, slag usually contains vesicles (small cavities or holes formed by gas bubbles). This feature is a key indicator that the material is slag and not a meteorite [2].
Slag [1]
Additional Resources
If you believe you have found a potential meteorite and are looking for the next steps, the following are additional resources for self or professional identification.
For those who are simply curious about meteorites, the links below also include general information from NASA and the Smithsonian Institution, as well as the Meteoritical Society’s Meteoritical Bulletin Database, which contains details on all confirmed meteorites.
Self Identification:
Meteorite self-checklist from Washington University in St.Louis
Meteorite characteristics by Arizona State University
USGS “I think I found a meteorite. How can I tell for sure?”
Professional Identification:
Meteorite testing by the New England Meteoritical Services Testing
Additional Information about Meteorites:
The Meteocritical Society’s Meteocritical Bulletin Database
General meteorite information by NASA
General meteorite information by the Smithsonian Institution
References
[1] Korotev RL. Some Meteorite Information. Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis. https://sites.wustl.edu/meteoritesite/. Accessed 3 Nov 2025.
[2] Lunar & Planetary Institute. Meteoritical Bulletin Database. https://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.cfm. Updated 18 Oct 2025. Accessed 3 Nov 2025.
[3] Paleontological Research Institution. Concretions. Updated 2024. https://www.priweb.org/blog-post/concretions. Accessed 3 Nov 2025