Heritage concluded its Natural History auction yesterday with the sale of a number of meteorites. Of these, perhaps the most exciting was a piece of a meteorite found in Algeria in 2005.
The meteorite was one of those incredibly rare pieces of moonrock which are blasted from the surface of the moon by another meteorite impact. Not that the impact which caused this specimen to take flight was the first it had endured.
The rock, which originated in the lunar highlands, had been altered by at least four shock-welding events. These occur when a pressure wave of extreme force, such as that only caused by a nuclear weapon on meteorite impact, changes the structure of rocks over a significant distance.
 Currently still available - a fragment of the moon |
Described as a superb, museum-worthy, eye-catching lunar meteorite, the 4.26g piece sold for $11,350.50.
Collectors sorry to miss out on a rare chance to own a lunar meteorite need not despair - a smaller example taken from the same Algerian meteorite is still taking bids at Heritage. Weighing 2.39g, it can be yours for $4,500.
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