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Lot 4411
Exceptional Stony Meteorite – Complete Individual
16 May 2018, 10:00 PDT
Los AngelesSold for US$2,000 inc. premium
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Exceptional Stony Meteorite – Complete Individual
Unclassified NWA
Sahara Desert, Morocco
Stony meteorites typically break apart or explode high in Earth's atmosphere before impact; therefore, most specimens are small. This large, complete specimen is one of the exceptions. It is designated as an unclassified NWA (Northwest Africa) meteorite; it was found by Berbers in the Sahara Desert of Morocco and has not been fully studied for classification. It is most likely an ordinary chondrite. This type includes round silicate grains that formed at the very beginning of the solar system 4.55 billion years ago from molten globs of accreted material which formed when two asteroids collided. All stony meteorites contain iron and are designated as either low or high iron and are quite heavy for their size. This meteorite is completely original, displaying a wind- and sand-blown surface with some traces of the original fusion crust. A 5 ¾ x 3-inch window has been cut on one end to reveal the interior of this large stony meteorite. The dark brown matrix is filled with various sized chondrules and flecks of iron-nickel metal. Measuring 7 x 6 ¾ x 4 ½in; Weighs 13 pounds (5.9 kilos)
Sahara Desert, Morocco
Stony meteorites typically break apart or explode high in Earth's atmosphere before impact; therefore, most specimens are small. This large, complete specimen is one of the exceptions. It is designated as an unclassified NWA (Northwest Africa) meteorite; it was found by Berbers in the Sahara Desert of Morocco and has not been fully studied for classification. It is most likely an ordinary chondrite. This type includes round silicate grains that formed at the very beginning of the solar system 4.55 billion years ago from molten globs of accreted material which formed when two asteroids collided. All stony meteorites contain iron and are designated as either low or high iron and are quite heavy for their size. This meteorite is completely original, displaying a wind- and sand-blown surface with some traces of the original fusion crust. A 5 ¾ x 3-inch window has been cut on one end to reveal the interior of this large stony meteorite. The dark brown matrix is filled with various sized chondrules and flecks of iron-nickel metal. Measuring 7 x 6 ¾ x 4 ½in; Weighs 13 pounds (5.9 kilos)