A meteorite called CM chondrite fell near Coloma, Calif., on April 22, which was tracked by scientists using weather radar. The meteorite is a rare class that contains water and carbon compounds that are similar to those responsible for producing life on Earth. The meteorite fell near where gold was first discovered in California in 1848. The fireball prompted a massive search by scientists and collectors.
Meteorite found in Coloma
Jason Utas, a geology student at UC Berkeley, holds a 7.5-gram fragment of a meteorite called CM chondrite he found Friday in Coloma, Calif. He was among the many people who descended into the area following a fireball on April 22. Utas found the fragment in the David Moore Nature Area off Highway 49, just west of Coloma. Scientists used weather radar to track the movements of the object and predicted it fell near Coloma. The meteorite is a rare class that contains water and carbon compounds that are similar to those responsible for producing life on Earth. It is in this location that gold was first discovered in 1848. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)