Northwest Africa (NWA) 14769 lunar meteorite (feldspathic breccia) slice, with abundant brecciated material, signed in silver ink, “Charlie Duke, Apollo 16 LMP.” The exceptional full polished slice weighs 16.8 grams and measures approximately 82.5 mm x 63.5 mm x 3.5 mm. Accompanied by a specimen identification card from Roberto Vargas Meteorites and by numerous photos (2.5 x 3.5 and 4 x 6) of Duke at the time of signing.
Among the rarest substances on Earth is the Moon. There are less than 750 kilograms of lunar meteorites known and all of this material would fit in three SUVs. Moreover, much of it is untouchable as it’s in national museums and research institutions. The lunar samples returned to Earth by the Apollo missions are also not available to the public.
Lunar meteorites arrive on Earth as a result of having been ejected off the lunar surface by asteroid impacts. Scientists can identify lunar samples by analyzing a specimen’s texture, mineralogy, chemistry, and isotopes. Many of the common minerals found on Earth’s surface are rare on the Moon and some lunar minerals are unknown on Earth. In addition, Moon rocks contain gases captured from the solar wind with isotope ratios that are significantly different than the same gases found on Earth. NWA 14769 is the 14,769th meteorite found in the Northwest African grid of the Sahara Desert to be analyzed and classified.
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