A rare piece of Mars, weighing 54 pounds and measuring nearly 15 inches, was auctioned for $4.3 million, making it the largest Martian rock found on Earth.
Historic Martian Meteorite Fetches $4.3 Million at Auction
Historic Martian Meteorite Fetches $4.3 Million at Auction
The largest Martian meteorite ever discovered on Earth has sold at a New York auction, setting a new record for extraterrestrial finds.
The auction house Sotheby’s announced that the meteorite, known as NWA 16788, fetched an impressive $4.3 million at a New York auction. Weighing 54 pounds (24.5 kilograms) and measuring about 15 inches (38.1 centimeters) in length, this remarkable find was unearthed in a remote area of Niger in November 2023. Notably, it is 70% larger than the previous largest Martian meteorite ever recovered, marking a significant moment in the study of extraterrestrial geology.
Sotheby's described the reddish-brown meteorite as "unbelievably rare," emphasizing that only around 400 Martian meteorites have been discovered on Earth to date. Cassandra Hatton, the auction house's vice-chairman of science and natural history, highlighted the rarity of such finds, stating that the chances of this rock traveling from Mars to Earth are "astronomically small." She added that given that approximately 70% of Earth's surface is covered in water, it's fortunate that this meteorite landed on dry land.
The final price of the meteorite increased to around $5.3 million when accounting for additional taxes and fees. While details about the buyer remain undisclosed, the auction included various other items, such as a Ceratosaurus skeleton that sold for $26 million and a Pachycephalosaurus skull that went for $1.4 million. The remarkable sale showcases the ongoing fascination with space exploration and the significance of meteorite collections in understanding planetary science.
Sotheby's described the reddish-brown meteorite as "unbelievably rare," emphasizing that only around 400 Martian meteorites have been discovered on Earth to date. Cassandra Hatton, the auction house's vice-chairman of science and natural history, highlighted the rarity of such finds, stating that the chances of this rock traveling from Mars to Earth are "astronomically small." She added that given that approximately 70% of Earth's surface is covered in water, it's fortunate that this meteorite landed on dry land.
The final price of the meteorite increased to around $5.3 million when accounting for additional taxes and fees. While details about the buyer remain undisclosed, the auction included various other items, such as a Ceratosaurus skeleton that sold for $26 million and a Pachycephalosaurus skull that went for $1.4 million. The remarkable sale showcases the ongoing fascination with space exploration and the significance of meteorite collections in understanding planetary science.
