Unlocking History: The World’s Largest Martian Meteorite Set to Sell for $4 Million at Auction

One lucky bidder is about to spend millions on NWA 16788, a remarkable 54-pound Martian meteorite. Found in the Sahara Desert in 2023, it’s the largest piece of Mars ever discovered on Earth.

Sotheby’s, the New York auction house, expects this rare meteorite to sell for up to $4 million at their natural history auction on July 16. Bidding starts at $1.9 million. NWA 16788 traveled 140 million miles through space before plunging into Earth’s atmosphere, likely dislodged by a powerful asteroid impact on Mars.

Cassandra Hatton, vice chairman for science and natural history at Sotheby’s, calls it “extraordinarily significant.” “This remarkable meteorite provides a tangible connection to our celestial neighbor,” she said. The reddish-brown rock is about 70% larger than the next largest Martian meteorite found on Earth, making it a standout among a rare class of geological specimens. Out of over 77,000 recognized meteorites, only about 400 come from Mars, meaning this one represents around 6.5% of known Martian material on Earth.

A meteorite hunter discovered NWA 16788 two years before the auction, while searching in Niger’s Kefkaf region. Scientists noted its grey to brown exterior covered in fusion crust, which develops when a meteorite falls through the atmosphere, heating up and creating a glassy coating.

This meteorite has minimal signs of weathering, indicating it arrived recently. The Shanghai Astronomy Museum identified a small piece as a shergottite, the most common type of Martian meteorite, formed from volcanic activity on Mars.

While it’s unusual to sell such a specimen instead of displaying it in a museum, it has been shown publicly in Italy before the auction. Some experts express concern about it going to a private collection.

Steve Brusatte, a paleontology professor, remarked, “It would be a shame if it disappeared into the vault of an oligarch. It belongs in a museum for the public to enjoy.” In contrast, Julia Cartwright, a planetary scientist, argues that a market for meteorites helps drive scientific discovery.

Regardless of its fate, NWA 16788 reminds us of the fascinating ways Earth interacts with other planets. While human exploration of Mars may be years away, pieces like this meteorite bring the mysteries of the Red Planet closer to home.

For more about meteorites and their significance, you can check out reports from reputable sources like NASA or the Lunar and Planetary Institute.

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astrogeology,Mars,meteorites