A massive meteorite that originated on Mars is set to go under the hammer at Sotheby’s later this month. Weighing 25 kilograms and officially named NWA 16788, it is the largest Martian rock ever found on Earth. The auction house expects it to sell for between $2 million and $4 million (€1.7 to €3.4 million), with bidding starting at $1.6 million (nearly €1.4 million) on July 16.
Found in the remote Sahara desert
The meteorite was discovered in November 2023 by a meteorite hunter in Agadez, a remote region of Niger located in the Sahara Desert. Measuring roughly 37 cm long, 28 cm high, and 15 cm thick, it dwarfs the second-largest known Martian meteorite that has reached Earth. Scientists at the Shanghai Astronomy Museum confirmed its Martian origin, noting that its surface showed little evidence of weathering. This suggests it made its landing relatively recently.
From Mars to Earth: a 225 million kilometer journey
According to Sotheby’s, the rock was likely launched into space when an asteroid collided with the Martian surface. “That began its 225-million-kilometer journey through space before it flew through Earth’s atmosphere and crashed in the Sahara,” the auction house writes. The average distance between Mars and Earth is 225 million kilometers, though at times they come as close as 55 million kilometers or as far as 400 million kilometers apart.
Some scientists urge public access
Despite the excitement, not everyone welcomes the sale. Some scientists believe the meteorite should be donated to a museum for research and public education. “It would be a shame if this rock ended up locked away in the vault of an oligarch or wealthy collector,” one scientist told CNN.
Source: CNN, Sotheby’s.
Image credit: Sotheby’s.
