Lot Details

EHOH-002 — THE MASSIVE MAIN MASS OF A METEORITE SHOWER

Chondrite – L4; Tiris Zemmour, Mauritania (25°54’48” N, 7°30’43” W)

Estimation : 60000 - 90000 USD


As described in the 111th edition of the Meteoritical Bulletin, “On November 6, 2021, at around 1:00 pm Saharawi people residing in the refugee camp of Dakhla (about 200 kilometers south of Tindouf, Algeria) heard a strong sonic boom confirmed by many people in the neighboring countries of Mauritania and Western Sahara. A few days later, many meteorite fragments with fresh fusion crust have been recovered by meteorite hunters in northern Mauritania close to the Algerian border.” Now offered is the main mass of this event, i.e., the largest single meteorite associated with this meteorite shower. EHOH 002 is classified as a chondrite (i.e., it contains chondrules which are spheroidal inclusions primarily composed of silicates. EHOH 002, however, also features barred chondrules, whose barred-like texture is the result of rapidly solidifying within a molten droplet in the early solar system. The black fusion crust seen is the result of the melting and burning which occurred while this meteorite penetrated Earth’s atmosphere. (Temperatures reached can be as much as 3100°F — nearly a third as hot as the surface of the Sun.) And prior to encountering the upper atmosphere 62 miles above sea level, this meteorite was traveling at cosmic velocity, roughly 10–35 miles per second. As a result of impact abrasion of its fusion crust, the meteorite’s greyish fine-grained matrix is revealed which also adds character to its form. This meteorite is primarily composed of olivine and pyroxene. Metallic blebs are suspended throughout. EHOH 002 gets its name from being the second meteorite discovered in the El Hassan Ould Hamed region, and as the smaller meteorites which fell as part of this same event are chemically identical, they are also designated EHOH 002. Originating from the asteroid belt and older than the Earth, this large, captivating rock from space is accompanied by a custom armature. Christie's would like to thank Dr. Alan E. Rubin at the Department of Earth, Planetar

Date de la vente : 12-12-2025

Adresse : ONLINE 24589

Ville : NEW YORK

Maison : Christies