The Philippines’ meteorite collection just got better, with these fragments of space adding up as newly donated specimens on display.
In celebration of the Museums and Galleries Month, the National Museum of the Philippines upgraded its “Bulalato: Fragments from Space” gallery, showcasing 6 of the 7 confirmed meteorites from the Philippines, including Orconuma, Bondoc, and Pantar, along with newly donated specimens from Mar Christian V. Cruz, Abraham A. Catiis, Melvin C. Lam, and Allen L. Yu.
The exhibit also features Pampanga, the first-ever meteorite found in the Philippines, which landed in Pampanga way back in 1859; Paitan, a meteorite that landed in Cabugao, Ilocos Sur in 1910; and the most recent meteorite, Ponggo, which was found in 2022 at the Cagayan Valley.
Alongside the 7 Philippine meteorites, the exhibition offers visitors a sight of marvelous meteorites donated by David Herskowitz, Ana Ophelia Herskowitz, and Ferdinand Jolo T. Agbayani. The four internationally recognized meteorites are Northwest Africa 11273, a moon fragment; Sahara 99753, a meteorite with chondrules, which are spears born from primordial stardust; Muonionalusta, an iron meteorite formed starting in the core of a destroyed asteroid; and Brenham, a stony-iron meteorite which glittered with olivine “space gems.”
By studying and researching meteorites, people can learn details on how solar systems evolve, including the Sun and the planets of today.
“Bulalato: Fragments from Space” is located at the Godofredo Alcasid Function Hall at the National Museum of the Philippines in Ermita Manila. Visit the website to learn more about the exhibit and check it out for free from 9 am to 6 pm daily.