A team of Center for Meteorite Studies researchers are hoping to be selected as the institution that gets to analyze and study any recovered remains from a meteorite that recently lit up the Arizona sky.

Reports are the meteorite brightly shined around 4 a.m. before breaking apart over Payson with a loud boom.

Three Meteorites Found in Arizona Over Last Century

Over the last century, remains from three meteorites have now been recovered in the state, with two of the three discoveries taking place since 1998.

Center Studies curator Laurence Garvie added pieces from only two other meteorites have been recently recovered, with those discoveries coming in Florida and Texas.

"Yesterday the lottery has been drawn and now they (explorers for the fallen pieces) are going to go out and see who won," Garvie said in describing how he view's his team's chances of overseeing the discovery.

According to Garvie, most meteorites are hunted by amateurs, who then set out for the landing areas to search for pieces. Once any remnants are discovered, the fragments are taken to a scientist or organization of the collectors' choice.

"I would hope they will take it to ASU and come to me to do the analysis, Garvie added of the Meteorite Studies center that sits on the campus of Arizona State University and is known as home of the world's largest university meteorite collection.

Recovery teams are now focusing on the eastern part of the state for remnants.

Center for Meteorite Studies Houses 1,600 Samples

Presently, Center for Meteorite Studies collection boasts more than 1,600 samples of different meteorites. Open to the public, the display is housed in the Inter disciplinary Science and Technology Building.

Garvie added while most recent discoveries have been identified as ordinary chondrites from one of the most common class of meteorites, this one is one is thought to be different because it is not from this earth.

"Something like this is exciting for both the collectors and scientists," he said. "The pieces could be from Mars, the Asteroids Belt or from the moon."

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