NWA 17840 - HED meteorite Howardite - full slice - 21.75 g

Exceptional slice of Howardite NWA 17840, a specimen weighing more than 20 grams and coming directly from the surface regolith of the asteroid 4 Vesta.
This specimen is not a simple space rock, but a true geological archive: a polymict breccia (with fragments of different origin) that encloses billions of years of cosmic collisions.

Looking at the panorama of the Howardite slice, the polished surface immediately reveals the complex nature of the rock, very fascinating because it unites fragments of Eucrites (surface basalts) and Diogenites (deep magmatic rocks).

In macro photographs, one can appreciate the individual crystals and lithic clasts where plagioclase appears as light, well-defined grains. Analyzing the surface reflections one also detects small accessory minerals such as troilite and ferrous metal, distinctive signs of the mineral richness of this specimen.

This piece, coming from the prestigious Matthew Stream collection (of which the original label is visible in the photo), is delivered protected in a membrane box. Every detail visible in these images is an open window onto the ordered chaos of our Solar System.

Welcome to space!