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Minnesota farmer discovers massive metallic ‘space object’ in cornfield, federal agencies notified

A large, metallic object, suspected to be from space, has been found in a cornfield in Minnesota, USA.

Updated on: Oct 22, 2026, 10:07:53 IST
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A large, metallic object, suspected to be from space, has been found in a cornfield in Minnesota, USA. The Stevens County Minnesota Sheriff’s Office announced in a press release that the object measures 11-feet in diameter and was found on October 14.

Minnesota officials shared a picture of the 'space object' on Facebook. (Facebook/StevensCountySheriffsOffice)
Minnesota officials shared a picture of the 'space object' on Facebook. (Facebook/StevensCountySheriffsOffice)

“On October 14, 2026, at approximately 3:30pm, the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office received a phone call of foreign debris that was found in a cornfield in Scott Township,” the Sheriff’s Office said.

Authorities arrived at the scene to discover a “large, metallic object, approximately 11-feet in diameter.” They described it as “presumably a space object”.

How was the space object discovered?

According to local news station KGW8, a farmer found the object sitting in his cornfield. Based on the size of the corn growing underneath, the farmer estimated that the object had been sitting in the field for about six weeks before it was found.

What is space debris?

According to the European Space Agency, space debris are defined as “all non-functional, man-made objects, including fragments and elements thereof, in Earth orbit or re-entering into Earth atmosphere. Man-made space debris dominate over the natural meteoroid environment, except around millimetre sizes.”

Space debris enter the earth’s atmosphere daily. However, most burn up before reaching the ground.

(Also read: What are the ‘mysterious’ balls found on Australian beach? Space agency has an answer)

What happened to the ‘space object’ in Minnesota?

After confirming the presence of the object, the sheriff’s office notified the Minnesota Duty Officer, prompting federal agencies to respond. Authorities are now working with state and federal agencies to identify the object’s owner and arrange for its removal from the field.

Officials said that the object has serial numbers, which could help identify its owner.

Officials also confirmed that the discovery poses no danger to the public.

(Also read: Space debris found in Maharashtra likely from 'China rocket')

  • Sanya Jain
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Sanya Jain

    Sanya Jain is an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times Digital. She has nearly a decade of experience in covering offbeat stories that speak to the everyday experience -- from viral videos to human interest copies that spark a conversation. Her interests stretch across business, pop culture, social media trends, entertainment and global affairs. Before joining Hindustan Times, Sanya spent two years with Moneycontrol and five years with NDTV. She holds an undergraduate degree in English literature from St Stephen’s College, Delhi, and a master’s in journalism from the Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai. Sanya has a sharp eye for spotting emerging trends and finding newsworthy angles in viral content. She writes about a wide range of topics, from business leaders and social issues to everyday people and internet trends. She enjoys speaking to content creators, newsmakers and entrepreneurs and turning their experiences and stories into engaging, relatable articles.Read More