The auction features a 54-pound Martian meteorite, NWA 16788, expected to fetch $2 million to $4 million. Believed to have been blasted off Mars by an asteroid, it traveled 140 million miles to Earth, landing in the Sahara. Discovered in Niger in November 2023, this meteorite is 70% larger than previously largest Mars fragments and comprises nearly 7% of all Martian material on Earth. Analysis confirmed its Martian origin, and its composition indicates it is an olivine-microgabbroic shergottite, showcasing unique mineral characteristics.
This Martian meteorite is the largest piece of Mars we have ever found by a long shot. So it's more than double the size of what we previously thought was the largest piece of Mars.
There are only 400 Martian meteorites out of the more than 77,000 officially recognized meteorites found on Earth.
The examination found that it is an 'olivine-microgabbroic shergottite,' a type of Martian rock formed from the slow cooling of Martian magma.
It measures nearly 15 inches by 11 inches by 6 inches and is about 70% larger than the next largest piece of Mars found on Earth.
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