Mars, the largest fragment of the red planet goes to auction: the figure is astronomical

The unmistakable shade Martian redcatapults us directly into the world of imagination. Looking at him, we have an immediate idea of the emotion that will experience the first human being, when he will move the first step on the “Red planet “.

Ranked with the abbreviation NWA 16788the incredible meteorite has a stunning weight of 24.67 kgmaking it the greatest fragment of Mars Currently known on our planet. Monumentalif we think that its size is greater than 70% Compared to the second largest Martian fragment found on Earth.

Already well known by the international scientific communityNWA 16788 was validated as meteorite from Mars from the Meteoritical Society, as well as having been included in the 113th edition of the Meteoritical Bulletinthe worldwide magazine for meteor science.

Considered The most precious meteorite ever offered at auctionthe estimates speak of a starting price between 2 and 4 million dollars.

MARZIANO NWA 16788 meteorite. (Courtesy of Sotheby’s)

How it arrived on earth

To make this story even more fascinating is the recent discovery. A Meteorite seeker The November 16, 2023 In the Sahara desertprecisely in the remote region of Agadezin Niger.

The studies of the internal composition lead to thinking that he was expelled from Mars following a powerful impact caused by a asteroidso strong, to transform some minerals of the glass meteorite. On the surface of NWA 16788 are recognized by fragments of Vetrous melting crustlayer that forms when a rocky body violently enters the earth’s atmosphere, as happened to the famous celestial body during its descent, until the Sahara is testified.

Detail of the surface of NWA 16788.

Detail of the surface of NWA 16788. (Courtesy of Sotheby’s)

More elusive than a diamond

Meteorites are a lot rare. Thinking of an extended area such as the North America On average, just 15 per year, where the most experienced hunters can take years to find them, many of the time without success, are counting on average. The fragments from Mars are even more than rare, very raremore elusive than a diamond. The numbers say it: on 77,000 officially known meteorites, as soon as 400 are Martians And the majority of them consists of fragments of conspicuous dimensions. This makes the idea of the absolute exclusivity of the piece that is offered to auction. Fragments of the genre are of enormous scientific valuebecause they can reveal to whole humanity priceless data on the knowledge of the geologyof the last of the rocky planets of Solar system.

The prestigious fragment arrived on Earth directly from Mars. Estimated starting price between 2 and 4 million ...

The prestigious fragment arrived on Earth directly from Mars. Estimated starting price: between 2 and 4 million dollars. (Courtesy of Sotheby’s)

The stage of “NWA 16788” in Italy

Before arriving in the podium of the most desired meteorites in the worldthe famous Martian fragment was exhibited at The Italian Space Agency to Rome during the European night of researchers of 2024 and in a private gallery in Tuscany, ad Arezzo.

How to participate in the auction

The exclusive event It is held in the presence a New York in the prestigious salons of the auction house Sotheby’s. It is possible to participate at a distance from any part of the Galaxy. Payments are also accepted in cryptocurrency.

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Directly from Mars: the journey continues

Waiting to know when our species will be able to touch the ground of the red planet with its own feet, There are those who have already been on Mars: the Nasathrough the eyes of roverwith the probes and the orbiter. The American space agency began with the first close overflow in July of 1965with the mission Mariner 4 up to the current rover Perseverance landed on the Marzian surface.

The most beautiful photoscaptured within Six decadeswere collected in the splendid photo album Mars. Photographs from the Nasa Archives (Paschen, pages 340, € 50). It is the last volume of images, of great relevance, on the fascinating and mysterious red planet, which has captured the interest, among the many, of the great astronomer Galileo Galileiwhen in 1610 he had glimpsed him for the first time in the telescope. An exclusive look of the Martian desert world, to discover the polar capsfrom the valleys ee dei volcanoes. Seeing Mars so closely would certainly have fascinated our Italian scientist very much too! And he may have been one of the potential buyers of the fabulous meteorite.

The cover of Mars. Photographs from the Nasa Archives

The cover of Mars. Photographs from the Nasa Archives (Paschen, pages 340, € 50)


Source: Vanity Fair

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