A piece of moon rock that has spent tens of millions of years orbiting the Earth after being dislodged in a meteor strike has been discovered.
The tiny fragment that measures just four and a half inches (11cm) by 4.75 inches (12cm) was found in the Sahara Desert and has now been put up for sale for $74,838 (£60,000).
The rock is believed to be shrapnel that was blasted into space from the surface of the moon when it was hit by a meteoroid travelling through space.
HOW DO MOON ROCKS ARRIVE ON EARTH?
Lunar meteorites, or lunaites, are rocks that come from the moon.
Rocks break off from the moon when asteroids and comets strike its surface.
Meteoroids strike the moon every day but don’t always hit hard enough to cause the rock to break off.
But when a meteoroid hits the moon with great force, fragments break away and are propelled away from its surface.
When the rocks escape the field of gravity shrouding the moon, they usually become captured by the gravity of the Earth or sun.
Rocks can orbit the Earth and the sun for thousands or even millions of years before they eventually fall to Earth.
After orbiting the sun or Earth for millennia it landed in the Moroccan region of the desert where it was discovered in 2014.
Scientists examining the textured fragment determined its authenticity by comparing its composition with samples collected from the moon during the Apollo space missions.
Examples of this kind, called lunar meteorites, are incredibly rare and account for just 0.1 per cent of space rock that land on the Earth’s surface.
While the circumstances surrounding its discovery are not known, it is common for North Africans to wander the Sahara in search of treasures like this.
This one carries a natural hole marked in the pictures by red tape, which was formed when it entered the atmosphere.
The two holes at the top were created by scientists.
The lunar meteorite weighs just under 11 ounces (312g) and is being sold by auctioneers Christie’s.
The fragment was blasted into space when a meteoroid hit the moon’s surface, causing a part of the surface to break away and escape from the moon’s field of gravity
The shrapnel was discovered by travellers wandering in the Sahara Desert, a site famous for space treasure.
James Hyslop, head of Christie’s science department, said: ‘Handling this piece of moon rock is like coming into contact with a piece of another world, I get goosebumps when I take it out.
‘It’s lucky the fragment came down and landed in the Sahara because if it landed in the sea, forest or on a mountain range it would have been lost forever.
‘Upon discovery, it could just have been another piece of rock from space, which isn’t overly rare.’
But chemical tests of the rock’s surface revealed it is actually from the moon, he said.
‘That’s the reason it has such great value,’ he added.
Meteoroids strike the moon every day but don’t always hit hard enough to cause rock from its surface to break off
‘This particular example bears natural holes, which actually makes it more desirable for collectors simply because it’s a bit different.
‘Unless you’re going to train with Nasa it is highly unlikely you will be able to acquire a piece of moon rock, so this sale presents a rare opportunity.’
It is thought less than 150 pounds of broken-off moon rock actually exist.
In 2012 one of the largest to ever appear, weighing a whopping four pounds, sold at auction for over $249,000 (£200,000).
The rock will be sold in London on April 27.
COURTESY DAILYMAIL
