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A piece of the moon is auctioned with an estimated price of more than $ 500,000. RR Auction Boston has already received bids for the NWA 11789 lunar meteorite, but at just $ 55,000, it is a bit short of the target.
Weighing 5.5 kg, the rock is often called the puzzle of the moon, because it is composed of six pieces that fit together like a lunar puzzle.
But these rocks of the Moon have not been brought back by the astronauts; rather, they are thought to have been projected on the surface by an asteroid. Ejected into space, he managed to travel 250,000 miles on Earth, where he survived the entrance of the atmosphere.
(Image: X90033)
It has a "melting crust" that is caused by the heat generated when it enters the atmosphere. It is also believed that it is one of only two lunar meteorites with this type of thermal damage.
Most lunar meteorite finds occur in parts of Africa or Antarctica. Only a few hundred have been discovered, which adds to the value of this massive example.
NWA 11789 was discovered in Mauritania, in northwestern Africa, in 2017. The authenticity of these lunar rocks is verified by comparing their composition to the samples brought back to Earth during the Apollo program of the NASA.
(Image: X90033)
The auction house says that a meteorite of this size is extremely rare, most weighing only a few grams.
Private citizens can not usually own a piece of the moon. Neither the US government nor NASA sells samples. Small fragments are sometimes put up for sale, however, and in 1993, three small samples of the Lunar 16 Soviet mission were sold for $ 442,500.
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The lunar meteorite auction will end on October 18th. You will need to quickly raise the funds needed to purchase this incredible piece of moon. The successful bidder will also obtain a photo of the Moon signed by Al Worden, who flew to Apollo 15 in 1971.
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