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The “incredibly rare” piece of Mars is the largest, if -found on the ground – sold for 4.3 million dollars (3.2 million pounds) at the New York auction on Wednesday.
The meteorite known as NWA 16788 weighs 54 pounds (24.5 kg) and nearly 15 inches (38.1 cm), Sotheby’s reports.
In November 2023, it was discovered in the remote region of Niger and 70% more than the next largest piece of Mars, which was restored, the auctional house reports.
Meteorites are something that the pieces of the rock remain after the asteroid or comet passes through the earth atmosphere.
The auction house Sotbim describes a meteorite, reddish -rock as “incredibly rare”. Only about 400 Martian meteorites have never been found on the ground.
“This is the largest part of Mars on the planet Earth. The chances of getting out of there, astronomically small,” said Cassandra Hatton, Vice-President of Science and Natural Sciences in Sotbis, in a video posted on the Internet.
“Remember that approximately 70% of the earth’s surface is covered with water. Therefore, it is incredibly lucky that it landed on the dry ground instead of the middle of the ocean where we could find it.”
It remains unclear where the meteorite will end if the sale information remains private.
Additional taxes and fees have brought a total rock price to approximately $ 5.3 million, Sotheby’s said.
At auctioned Wednesday, which was over 100 items, the Ceratosaurus skeleton is sold for $ 26 million from the late Jurassic period, and the Pachycephalosaurus skull is sold for $ 1.4 million.
