Recently, one of the world's largest lunar meteorites was sold privately at Christie's, a British art and luxury auction house, worth two million pounds (about 17.66 million yuan).
The lunar meteorite weighs more than 13.5 kilograms and is likely to have been acquired by humans after the moon collided with an asteroid or comet, struck the surface of the planet, and then fell into the Sahara Desert.
This undated photograph shows a lunar rock in an unknown zone
The meteorite, named NWA 12691, is one of the five largest lunar fragments currently found in the world. Now, a total of 650 kilograms of lunar rock have been found on Earth.
James Heathlop, Christie's head of natural science history, said: "Holding fragments of another planet in your hands will be an experience you will never forget." ”
"This is a fragment of the moon that is truly cut. It's about the size of a soccer ball and a little more oval in shape than a soccer ball. Bigger than your head anyway. ”
Like many meteorites that have been found, NWA 12691 traveled 240,000 miles from the moon to Earth, was found by anonymous people in the Sahara Desert, changed hands several times, and studied them in detail.
After comparing meteorite samples collected by the U.S. Apollo moon landing program, scientists can determine the source of the stone.
"In the 1860s and 1870s, the Apollo lunar program brought back about 400 kilograms of lunar rock, which allowed scientists to analyze its chemical composition and isotopic composition, and these elements matched certain meteorites," Heathlop said. ”
He added that meteorites are one of the few precious, with only one in a thousand probabilities coming from the moon, which is extremely special.
"We look forward to reaping a wide-ranging, international passion for meteorites from the Natural History Museum... It will be a great souvenir for those curious about the history of space or the exploration of the moon. ”
The moon is fascinating, dating back to the dawn of human history, it has been labeled with strength, love, time and prosperity, and is the only natural satellite on earth. It is believed that the Moon formed when the Mars-sized planet hit Earth 4.5 billion years ago.
Christie's also intends to privately sell a collection of 13 aesthetically pleasing iron meteorites, which are valued at £1.4 million.
(Text/Shibashi, Photo/Network, produced by DAILY MEDIA)