Rare meteorites from the moon, Mars and more to go under the hammer

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For those looking for an accessory that is out of this world, an auction house has an extraordinary offering: meteorites.

In an online sale, Christie’s auction house presents a portfolio of celestial objects, including specimens from the Moon and Mars, as well as aesthetic iron meteorites and gemstone rocks.

Meteorites are tiny natural objects from outer space that survive their passage through Earth’s atmosphere and land on the surface – and while some specimens are housed in museums, 75 of them will be sold this month as part of ‘Deep Impact: Martian, Lunar and Other Rare Meteorites “auction.

Below the collection is a statue composed of 7 billion-year-old stardust – an oriented stony meteorite that made its way to Earth in an unusual way.

The auction includes this gemstone specimen, valued at $ 3,500 - $ 4,500, from Xinjiang.

The auction includes this specimen, which contains gems, estimated at $ 3,500 – $ 4,500, from Xinjiang. Credit: Christie’s

Unlike most other meteorites, this one did not topple or flip when it fell to Earth and instead maintained a stable orientation when it fell, according to Christie’s. Weighing in at nearly 16 lbs., The stone, which is estimated to sell for $ 50,000-80,000, has distinctive, diverging markings on the side that faced Earth.

There is also a sphere for sale made from the meteoritic core of a shattered Swedish asteroid.

Also for sale is a sphere made from the meteoritic core of a shattered Swedish asteroid. Credit: Christie’s

“Everyone has a picture in mind of what a meteorite” should look like “- an alien body heated by friction as it blasts through Earth’s atmosphere,” said James Hyslop, Christie’s chief of science and natural history. “It is rare for the objects to survive this fiery descent and resemble that shared ideal seen in this meteorite,” he added.

A gibeon meteorite, for sale for an estimated $ 15,000 - $ 25,000

A gibeon meteorite, for sale for an estimated $ 15,000 – $ 25,000 Credit: Christie’s

Also for sale is a cross-section of Mars rock, with bubbles of the planet’s atmosphere trapped in the slab, estimated at $ 30,000-50,000. Auctioneers are also offering a specimen of a meteorite from the US’s largest meteor shower, in Odessa, Texas, which auctioneers expect to fetch $ 60,000, along with a sphere made from the meteorite core of a shattered Swedish asteroid, priced at $ 18,000 could sell.

But not all items have astronomical prices – some of the otherworldly items have a reserve tag starting at $ 250 before the auction, which starts February 9.

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