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MARTIAN METEORITE FOR SALE
The meteorite known as NWA 14617 is a chondrite (L3) meteorite that fell in northwestern Africa sometime before May 2021. This meteorite's composition is most consistent with Martian shergottites, sourced from igneous rock. It was discovered as a single desert polished stone, and later sold in Morocco to an anonymous dealer. 636 grams are known to exist.
This meteorite's interior shows low levels of shock, closely-packed and well-defined chondrules and fresh metal grains upon slicing. This meteorite also displays abundant olivine-iron composition, which could classify it as an L3.5 chondrite. Some samples of NWA 14714 also display dark shock melt pockets.
Shergottites may have crystallised as recently as 180 million years ago. This is unusual, since most of the surface of Mars appears to be ancient, and the planet itself is rather small. Because of this, some have advocated the idea that the shergottites are much older than this. This "Shergottite Age Paradox" remains unsolved and is still an area of active research and debate.
This meteorite's interior shows low levels of shock, closely-packed and well-defined chondrules and fresh metal grains upon slicing. This meteorite also displays abundant olivine-iron composition, which could classify it as an L3.5 chondrite. Some samples of NWA 14714 also display dark shock melt pockets.
Shergottites may have crystallised as recently as 180 million years ago. This is unusual, since most of the surface of Mars appears to be ancient, and the planet itself is rather small. Because of this, some have advocated the idea that the shergottites are much older than this. This "Shergottite Age Paradox" remains unsolved and is still an area of active research and debate.
