Biggest Martian Meteorite Is Up For Auction — And It Could Fetch a Whopping $4 Million
A piece of Mars delivered from space is soon going to the auction circuit, and is supposedly going to demand a hefty price. The piece, NWA 16788, uncovered on December 16, 2023, from the remote Agadez region of Niger by a meteorite hunter, according to Sotheby's auction page. The meteorite can fetch a price of up to $4 million when it is presented by auction house Sotheby's in the latter half of July. However, many expressed concerns regarding the sale, claiming that if the meteorite comes into the custody of an individual who does not want to share it with science, a lot of meaningful data could possibly get lost, as reported by CNN.
Why Does NWA 16788 Stand Apart?
NWA 16788 is deemed the largest piece of Mars discovered by experts. It has been identified as a meteorite, the part of a comet, meteoroid, or asteroid that survives the Earth's atmosphere to reach the surface. Martian meteorites are considered to be a rarity, as only 400 such space objects have been found to date on Earth. As per Sotheby's, NWA 16788 is massive in comparison to other Red Planet meteorites of its kind, which are mostly tiny fragments. The specimen is 70% larger than the next biggest Mars meteorite known to researchers. It was estimated to be 54 pounds (24.5 kilograms) in weight by experts. Cassandra Hatton, vice chairman of science and natural history at Sotheby's, called NWA 16788 a "once-in-a-generation find."
NWA 16788's Journey Till Now
Astronomers think that the red-hued space rock got split from Mars due to a massive asteroid strike, according to The Independent. It traveled for around 140 million miles and entered Earth's atmosphere. The meteorite appeared to be the size of a computer monitor and was composed mainly of a mineral called olivine. Researchers speculate that during the rock's violent descent, some of it turned into glass. Meteorites like these are crucial in collecting insights about the Red Planet's geology and composition. It is unclear when this meteorite fell on Earth. However, it was discovered in 2023. The meteorite was then exhibited in the Italian Space Agency and a private gallery in Tuscany. Now, it will be put up for auction on July 16 at Sotheby's New York.
Unprecedented Price Tag
Officials at Sotheby's have listed the NWA 16788 for $2 million - $4 million. If the meteorite gets sold for $4 million, then it would become the most expensive meteorite ever sold at an auction. As of now, this honor is with a meteorite found in China. The scientific value attached to the meteorite's sale has raised some eyebrows. "It would be a shame if it disappeared into the vault of an oligarch. It belongs in a museum, where it can be studied, and where it can be enjoyed by children and families, and the public at large," Steve Brusatte, a professor of paleontology and evolution at the University of Edinburgh, shared.
However, Julia Cartwright, a planetary scientist and Independent Research Fellow in the Institute for Space/School of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Leicester, does not take offense at this sale. Cartwright believes that the sale is a result of the demand for such meteorites. If the demand doesn't exist, then the resources experts wouldn't search for these space objects. According to her, this "symbiotic relationship" needs to be balanced. She also informed that a sample from NWA 16788 has been kept at Purple Mountain Observatory in China for continued observations.