The largest Martian meteorite found on Earth could sell for a record price

This 24-kilogram meteorite, with a starting bid of $ 1.9 million in the sale to be organized by Sotheby's auction house, is the largest Martian meteorite ever discovered on Earth .

JOURNEY FROM MARS TO EARTH

Scientists believe this massive rock was ejected from the Martian surface by a powerful asteroid impact, traveling approximately 225 million kilometers (140 million miles) before entering Earth's atmosphere. When NWA 16788 entered Earth's atmosphere at high speed and impacted the Earth, a characteristic molten crust (fusion crust) formed on its surface. This crust consists of a shiny, glass-like layer formed by the atmospheric overheating. Furthermore, the cavities seen on the surface, called regmaglypts, were formed by the turbulence of hot gases generated during the rock's entry into the atmosphere.

Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby's Vice President of Science and Natural History, describes NWA 16788 as "a concrete bridge to Mars for humanity." She says this meteorite is significant not only for its size but also for its unique geological structure.

According to Sotheby's data, of the more than 77,000 meteorites officially recognized to date, only about 400 are of Martian origin. NWA 16788 represents a large portion of this group, both in size and mass. It alone accounts for approximately 6.5% of the total number of Martian meteorites on Earth, making it not only rare but also unique.

The meteorite's gray-brown surface exhibits minimal ground erosion, suggesting it may have fallen to Earth recently. Following its discovery, a small sample of the meteorite was sent to the Shanghai Astronomy Museum for analysis and determined to be of the shergottite class. This refers to igneous rocks formed by volcanic activity on Mars.

NWA 16788 was previously exhibited by the Italian Space Agency and a private art gallery in Arezzo. However, its auction has sparked controversy among some scientists, who find it "disappointing" that such a significant piece has ended up in private collections. Others believe such sales encourage the discovery of new specimens.

While it still seems like humanity will have a long time before reaching Mars directly, sometimes the sky sends us a little piece of Mars. NWA 16788 is a striking example of this cosmic interaction, potentially providing scientists with vital information about Mars's interior, history, and geological processes.