NWA 17660 — HED, an Unusual Eucrite Specimen from Asteroid 4 Vesta - 153 g
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Selected by Francesco Moser
Over 20 years collecting meteorites; former museum curator and experienced restorer.
Estimate € 600 - € 700
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NWA 17660 is a 153 g HED eucrite meteorite from asteroid 4 Vesta, Northwest Africa, a complex breccia with pigeonite and calcic plagioclase showing unusual rounded clasts, accompanied by two certificates of authenticity.
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Description from the seller
A remarkable low weathering fragment of asteroid 4 Vesta is now up for grabs. The specimen is approximately 28% of the total known mass of this classification.
NWA 17660 is a particularly interesting eucrite because it is more complex than a typical polymict eucrite. According to the official classification from the Meteoritical Bulletin, this meteorite is a complex breccia containing angular mineral fragments, fine to medium-grained lithic clasts and approximately 10 vol.% rounded lithic breccia clasts dispersed within a fine-grained fragmental matrix.
The mineral assemblage is dominated by pigeonite and calcic plagioclase, accompanied by subcalcic augite and augite. Minor phases include diogenitic orthopyroxene, silica, ilmenite, chromite, troilite, fayalite, merrillite, zircon and even kamacite.
What makes this eucrite particularly interesting, however, are its unusual rounded breccia clasts. These contain fragments of several of the same minerals enclosed within an ultra-fine-grained, opaque to isotropic, microcrystalline-to-glassy aluminous matrix. The classification team notes that this unusual material may represent quenched impact melt and could signify a regolithic component. Several thin shock-melt veinlets also cross-cut the studied material, providing a remarkable record of the violent impact history experienced by this rock on its parent body.
Like all howardites, eucrites and diogenites, NWA 17660 ultimately comes from the differentiated asteroid 4 Vesta, the parent body of the HED meteorites and the second largest asteroid in the Asteroid Belt (after 1 Ceres). This specimen therefore represents a piece of an ancient basaltic crust that was excavated, fragmented and repeatedly processed by impacts before eventually being liberated from Vesta and making its way to Earth.
I am a member of the Meteoritical Society (#7743) and Global Meteorite Association (#G0129) have been collecting meteorites for over 16 years.
A remarkable low weathering fragment of asteroid 4 Vesta is now up for grabs. The specimen is approximately 28% of the total known mass of this classification.
NWA 17660 is a particularly interesting eucrite because it is more complex than a typical polymict eucrite. According to the official classification from the Meteoritical Bulletin, this meteorite is a complex breccia containing angular mineral fragments, fine to medium-grained lithic clasts and approximately 10 vol.% rounded lithic breccia clasts dispersed within a fine-grained fragmental matrix.
The mineral assemblage is dominated by pigeonite and calcic plagioclase, accompanied by subcalcic augite and augite. Minor phases include diogenitic orthopyroxene, silica, ilmenite, chromite, troilite, fayalite, merrillite, zircon and even kamacite.
What makes this eucrite particularly interesting, however, are its unusual rounded breccia clasts. These contain fragments of several of the same minerals enclosed within an ultra-fine-grained, opaque to isotropic, microcrystalline-to-glassy aluminous matrix. The classification team notes that this unusual material may represent quenched impact melt and could signify a regolithic component. Several thin shock-melt veinlets also cross-cut the studied material, providing a remarkable record of the violent impact history experienced by this rock on its parent body.
Like all howardites, eucrites and diogenites, NWA 17660 ultimately comes from the differentiated asteroid 4 Vesta, the parent body of the HED meteorites and the second largest asteroid in the Asteroid Belt (after 1 Ceres). This specimen therefore represents a piece of an ancient basaltic crust that was excavated, fragmented and repeatedly processed by impacts before eventually being liberated from Vesta and making its way to Earth.
I am a member of the Meteoritical Society (#7743) and Global Meteorite Association (#G0129) have been collecting meteorites for over 16 years.
Details
Type of meteorite
NWA 17660 — HED, an Unusual Eucrite Specimen from Asteroid 4 Vesta
Supplement
The specimen is accompanied by two certificates of authenticity providing documented provenance.
Weight
153 g
Country of origin
Northwest Africa
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