I now own a piece of the moon !!!!!! (really)

[John]

Oh no ! I can hear the cries, not that moon for sale scam again ......

No, not this time. One of my main astro interests is meteors and meteorites and recently I've started to put together a small collection of specimens from around the world. My most recent aquisition (yes I buy them, not find them myself I'm afraid ) is a tiny fragment of a meteorite that has been proven to have come from the moon.

The meteorite in question is known as North West Africa 032 because that was where it was found in 1999. It's known to be of lunar origin because it's composition closely matches samples returned by the Apollo 12 mission. It's a type of basalt which is from the lunar maria which is unusual as most lunar meteorites are from the highland areas. Radiogenic dating puts NWA 032's formation (crystalisation) age at around 2.8 billion years - thats about half the age of most non-lunar meteorites that have been studied.

The original meteorite find weighed just 300 grams. Here is my tiny piece of it which weighs only 39 milligrams (the black cube is 1cm square):

(click to enlarge)

Told you it was small !. My next target is a peice of Mars

John

[barkis]

You had me worried for a second there John. I thought to myself. "No, not John of all people".

Fears allayed, I am pleased it's an interest in Solar System material you are collecting.

I am totally amazed how they can establish beyond doubt where particular fragments originate, but they do. It has to be an addictive activity I would think. I have a friend who also collects meteorites, and has a fair collection. A lot of his were supplied from contacts in the USA.

During astronomy weeks, or specially organized open days organized by the Local astro Society, his collection never failed to generate enormous interest.

Ron.

I think in these cases, it is safe to say size matters little John. A very tiny piece of Mars will draw lots of interest.

[lunator]

Johm

Thats fantastic. I am very envious.

Cheers

ian

[SteelRat]

That's some STUFF worth having John 8)

Very nice matey.

Matthew(SR)

[Sam]

cool! a bit of the moon - nice work John. It's amazing to think how far that little bit of rock has traveled and the circumstance for it's removal from the moon!

[Andrew*]

That's quite cool! I find it amazing that they can trace these pieces with such accuracy! Out of interest, (and if you don't mind my asking) how much does such a piece cost?

My next target is a peice of Mars

Try your local corner shop. You should be able to get a whole one for 50p.

Damn, I've ran out of coats, and the taxis are all busy. Never mind. I'll just walk in the cold

Andrew

[John]

That's quite cool! I find it amazing that they can trace these pieces with such accuracy! Out of interest, (and if you don't mind my asking) how much does such a piece cost?

Lunar meteorites are some of the rarest in the world, the total amount found to date is around 33kg, compare that to the 300kg or so of rocks that the Apollo missions returned. - this web site give loads of information on lunar meteorites including price guidelines:

http://meteorites.wustl.edu/lunar/moon_meteorites.htm

John

[beamer3.6m]

Can I ask how much this piece of the moon cost?

[GazOC]

Can I ask how much this piece of the moon cost?

I know where you can get an acre for 15 quid....;O)

[barkis]

Can I ask how much this piece of the moon cost?

I know where you can get an acre for 15 quid....;O)

And I can rent you a pick and shovel very cheap. You have to make your own way to the rock pile though.

Ron.

[GazOC]

I believe the transportation costs are a bit steep too Ron!!

[John]

Can I ask how much this piece of the moon cost?

The market price for lunar meteorites varies between $800 and $4,000 per gram. Some is more sought after (rarer) than others. I managed to get a great deal on this piece but I have been studying the market for about 4 years. My source for this specimen was Jensen Meteorites, here is their web site:

http://www.jensenmeteorites.com/

Many reputable dealers sell meteorites on e.bay and at any one time there are usually a few lunar and martian samples up for sale. My fragment is larger (believe it or not) than some on offer as I was happy to dispense with the fancy display box / card.

Sorry if that sounds a bit vague on pricing but things vary a lot in the market. Like astro equipment, it pays to do some research before buying to establish who the reputable dealers are and which are the good specimins to search out. I use this site a lot as a resource centre:

http://www.meteorite.com/

John