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Lot 2355
ABA PANU – A SLICE OF A RARE WITNESSED FALL
7 December 2021, 10:00 PST
Los AngelesSold for US$510 inc. premium
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ABA PANU – A SLICE OF A RARE WITNESSED FALL
Stone meteorite, chondrite, L3
Oyo, Nigeria
Aba Panu is a witnessed fall which occurred on April 19, 2018, when numerous stones landed between the Nigerian villages of Ipapo and Tede. An astonishing entry velocity of almost 13 miles per second – an astonishing 45,000 miles per hour - was recorded for the incoming mass.
Aba Panu is an L3 chondrite, meaning that it is a stone meteorite comparatively low in metal (nickel-iron.) Its chondrules are as close to pristine as we can expect to see. L3 meteorites are particularly interesting to researchers and collectors alike, as they underwent a very low degree of alteration on the parent bodies. Their 4.67-billion-year-old chondrules give us perhaps our best look back at the earliest moments of our own solar system. Aba Panu is delightfully rich in them: white, grey, and cream- colored chondrules and chondrule fragments, varying greatly in size from about 0.1 to several milimeters across. Densely packed together, their abundance is marvelous; in fact, the meteorite seems to be made up almost entirely of these tiny, intriguing ancient spheres. Also visible are several nickel-iron flecks and occasional armored chondrules. In all of meteorite history there have only been seven L3 witnessed falls (none of the other six are readily available to collectors), making this slice a highly desirable and rarely offered specimen. Weighing 128 grams and measuring 177.8 x 120.65mm (7 x 4.75 in)
Oyo, Nigeria
Aba Panu is a witnessed fall which occurred on April 19, 2018, when numerous stones landed between the Nigerian villages of Ipapo and Tede. An astonishing entry velocity of almost 13 miles per second – an astonishing 45,000 miles per hour - was recorded for the incoming mass.
Aba Panu is an L3 chondrite, meaning that it is a stone meteorite comparatively low in metal (nickel-iron.) Its chondrules are as close to pristine as we can expect to see. L3 meteorites are particularly interesting to researchers and collectors alike, as they underwent a very low degree of alteration on the parent bodies. Their 4.67-billion-year-old chondrules give us perhaps our best look back at the earliest moments of our own solar system. Aba Panu is delightfully rich in them: white, grey, and cream- colored chondrules and chondrule fragments, varying greatly in size from about 0.1 to several milimeters across. Densely packed together, their abundance is marvelous; in fact, the meteorite seems to be made up almost entirely of these tiny, intriguing ancient spheres. Also visible are several nickel-iron flecks and occasional armored chondrules. In all of meteorite history there have only been seven L3 witnessed falls (none of the other six are readily available to collectors), making this slice a highly desirable and rarely offered specimen. Weighing 128 grams and measuring 177.8 x 120.65mm (7 x 4.75 in)