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Lot 925* - S18 Out of This World - Tuesday, 18. April 2023, 04.00 PM

MOON METEORITE

Official meteorite name: NWA 11788
Found: Mali, Africa, 2017
475 g
11.5 × 9 × 6 cm

Provenance:
Private collection, Switzerland

The Moon’s desolate beauty has been a source of fascination and curiosity throughout history and has inspired a rich cultural and symbolic tradition. It makes Earth more liveable by moderating our home planet’s movement on its axis, leading to a relatively stable climate. It also causes tides, creating a rhythm that has guided humans and animals for thousands of years.

When asteroids strike the lunar surface, chunks of the Moon are launched into space. After thousands of years and a journey through our Milky Way galaxy, on very rare occasions these specimens find their way onto earth. Less than 0.1% of all meteorites recovered are lunar in origin, and less than 330 lbs (150 kg) of meteorites originating from the Moon are known to exist.
We know these meteorites are from the Moon because they have elemental and isotopic compositions that are a match to the samples that have been measured by orbiting spacecraft, surface landers and rovers.

The fine fragmental breccia of NWA 11788 and its dark grey-coloured matrix make this moon meteorite somewhat different from many of the other Lunar Feldspathic Breccias which often consist of larger clasts.

NWA 11788 has a dark grey matrix with white clasts of feldspar. There is a small amount of vesiculation throughout, an indication of its high level of shock. Some metal grains are seen when it is cut.

The large and extremely rare lunar meteorite presented here is a fantastic combination of natural history, space exploration and art.


CHF 25 000 / 35 000 | (€ 25 770 / 36 080)