A group of meteorite enthusiasts, Dave Kenny from Vancouver Island and his colleague Anton Clemens, belonging to the organization Meteorite Recovery Specialists, found fragments from a meteor that streaked across the skies of northern Ontario last month. The discovery was made on Cockburn Island in Lake Huron, a sparsely populated landmass off Manitoulin Island.

After submitting samples to the Meteor Physics Group at Western University, it was confirmed that the rocks were remnants from a meteor weighing hundreds of kilograms that disintegrated in the atmosphere on June 19. This marked Kenny’s first successful meteorite recovery on Canadian soil, adding a special significance to the find.

Accessing the fragments on Cockburn Island was a challenging task due to the island’s private and protected nature. Kenny and Clemens coordinated extensively with local authorities to determine the permitted search areas. The duo had to travel by boat to reach the island, camping on the boat at night after a day of hunting for meteorites.

Despite the difficulties, the team managed to explore the island for two and a half days, covering nearly 50 kilometers on foot each day. Their efforts paid off when they found intact and broken fragments, the largest weighing 57.6 grams. These stones were discovered along township roads and public access areas, strategically avoiding potential damage from ATV tracks.

The largest piece has been sent to Western University for further analysis, with a focus on studying the meteorite’s composition over the next six months. While not officially classified yet, the rocks are believed to be chondrites, a common type of meteorite originating from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.