A characteristic cross-hatched pattern that becomes visible on the surface of octahedrites (the commonest type of iron meteorites) and pallasites after polishing and etching with nital (nitric acid in solution with ethanol). It is due to an intergrowth of crystals of nickel-rich taenite and nickel-poor kamacite. It is named after its discoverer, the Austrain mineralogist Alois von Beckh Widmanstätten (1754-1849).
