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Meteorite NWA 16788: Record price for Mars piece in New York!
On July 16, 2025, a 25 kg Martian meteorite will be auctioned in New York for record prices. Discover the details!
Meteorite NWA 16788: Record price for Mars piece in New York!
A remarkable day for cosmologists and meteorite gourmets: On July 16, 2025, a meteorite from Mars was discovered in New York for the dizzying sum of$5.3 million(approx.4.5 million euros) auctioned. This piece of the red planet, calledNWA 16788, is now considered the most expensive meteorite ever auctioned. This means that the renowned auction house has Sotheby's not only broke the price record, but also stimulated the curiosity of scientists.
NWA 16788 was released onNovember 16, 2023discovered by a meteorite hunter in the Agadez region of Niger. The 24.67 kilogram piece of rock is not only the largest known Martian rock on Earth, but also about 70% larger than the next largest Martian meteor. With this weight it represents impressive6.5% of the total known Martian material, which was found on Earth.
Scientific significance
Why is NWA 16788 so special? Just round400 Martian meteoritesare known worldwide, with a total of374 kilogramsWeight. The meteorite is classified as an olivine-microgabbroic shergottite and could revolutionize existing classifications of Martian rocks. This could help revise previous understandings of Mars and its geological processes, particularly in comparison to terrestrial rocks. Interestingly, exist21.2% of the volumemade of maskelynite, a glass that was formed by asteroid impacts on Mars.
Additionally, the meteorite's chemical and physical composition has remained very stable, indicating minimal terrestrial weathering. Scouts from science are particularly interestedGlass blowinginterested in the Martian air - ideal for analyzes and possible insights into the Martian atmosphere.
Auction highlights
The auction promised further, no less exciting objects. For example, there was also oneCeratosaurus skeletonauctioned, that around$30.5 millionbrought in. However, a mystery remains for the buyer of NWA 16788; his identity has not yet been revealed. What is certain is that such meteorites not only make collectors' hearts beat, but can also make a significant contribution to research.
Meteorite hunters are often the first researchers to locate such objects, and their finds are often sold to private collectors or research institutions. In particular, NWA 16788 could be viewed before the auction at the Italian Space Agency in Rome and a private gallery in Arezzo, Tuscany, which further increased interest.
A good deal for the buyer, yes there is something there! Meanwhile, scientists are eagerly awaiting what secrets NWA 16788 might reveal about Mars. In a world where only about 5.4% of Martian meteorites are classified as gabbroic or microgabbroic, it makes it clear that each of these finds not only represents an asset for collectors, but is also a treasure for research. Here’s to the next exciting chapter from the vastness of space!