NWA 7831 Diogenite Meteorite
NWA 7831 Diogenite Meteorite
This sample was part of a larger meteorite discovered near Chouichiyat, in the Saguia el-Hamra region of the Western Sahara, in 2013. Locals excavated the meteorite, which weighed over 20 kilograms, but it fragmented into smaller parts, including this one.An achondrite diogenite, this meteorite originated on the asteroid Vesta. Blasted into space by a giant impact, it travelled billions of kilometres before falling to Earth. Howardite, eucrite, and diogenite (HED) meteorites are all believed to originate from Vesta, representing different types of rock from the asteroid's crust.
Consisting mainly of a yellow-green crystalline mineral called orthopyroxene, the meteorite also shows signs of weathering in the deserts of northwest Africa. This is visible in the light orange, clay-like deposits seen in cracks on its surface.
More information
Object number
2025-123
Location
Our Solar System Gallery
Has this object been into space?
Yes
Dimension - Dimension, Value, Measurement unit
Length: 9.0cm
Height: 4.0cm
Depth: 4.0cm
Weight: 146g
Material
Orthopyroxene
Troilite
Chromite
Anorthite
Clinopyroxene
Associated Place
Western Sahara
Saguia el-Hamra
On Display Status
On display
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