NWA 10881 Carbonaceous Chondrite Meteorite

NWA 10881 Carbonaceous Chondrite Meteorite

This meteorite is one of a limited number of meteorites classified as CO3.0 carbonaceous chondrites - a pristine, little-altered type of meteorite. They are considered some of the most primitive meteorites, having changed very little since they formed. This means that they date back to before the formation of the planets, including Earth, having formed from the building blocks of the Solar System.

This sample has been cut off from a larger rock found somewhere in Northwest Africa. When some meteorites are found, their location remains a guarded secret to stop others finding them. This means that the meteorite cannot be named after the place it fell to Earth. Many such examples are found in Northwest Africa, where meteorites stand out in the desert landscape. NWA stands for Northwest Africa, with each meteorite discovery in this area given a unique number - such as 10881.