UW-Madison researchers are currently studying what they believe to be a fragment of the meteor that passed over the Midwest last week.
The meteor, which was spotted in Madison around 10 p.m. Wednesday, is believed to be part of a meteor shower occurring throughout most of April.
The researchers were able to study the composition of the meteor Friday after a Madison farmer found what researchers believe is a fragment of it, according to a UW-Madison release.
The fragment, which is about three inches long, is gray, white and red and is covered by a thin, dark crust on one side, the release said.
According to the release, locating known pieces of meteors is rare, and scientists are able to use these fragments to study the composition of the solar system and potentially learn more about the formation of Earth.
The release said the fragment was not large enough for researchers to identify the type of the meteor, but they were able to find traces of several minerals in it, including magnesium, iron, olivine and pyroxene.
John Valley, a UW-Madison geoscience professor, said in the statement it is likely more fragments of the meteor landed in the area.
Anyone who finds something resembling the fragment found Friday can bring it to the UW-Madison Geology Museum.
