CANYON DIABLO METEORITE — GRAPHITE NODULE FROM “METEOR CRATER” - photo 1
CANYON DIABLO METEORITE — GRAPHITE NODULE FROM “METEOR CRATER” - photo 2

CANYON DIABLO METEORITE — GRAPHITE NODULE FROM “METEOR CRATER”

Starting price
$ 2 200
Auction dateClassic
25.08.2020 10:00UTC +01:00
Auctioneer
CHRISTIE'S
Event location
United Kingdom, London
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 389971
Lot 28 | CANYON DIABLO METEORITE — GRAPHITE NODULE FROM “METEOR CRATER”
Lot Description:
Beyond the famous crater and its small diamonds, Canyon Diablo meteorites are also renowned for their graphite nodules. During collisions on the Canyon Diablo asteroid, molten metal was injected into, and fully penetrated, the graphite as evidenced by the veins of metal writhing through the matrix. The largest nodules may have been ejected during atmospheric descent; some became liberated from their metal jacket as it oxidized during the ensuing 50,000 years. This complete slice is an exquisite representation of a cataclysmic event — a collision of asteroids — frozen in time.
99 x 125 x 2mm (4 x 5 x 0.1 in.)
120.9g (0.25 lb)

50,000 years ago, a 50-meter-wide iron-nickel asteroid plowed into northern Arizona, releasing as much energy as 40 megatons of TNT. More than 100 million tons of rock were ejected into the air, resulting in the most famous and best-preserved meteorite crater in the world — the renowned “Meteor Crater” near Winslow, Arizona. The crater is more than a kilometer in diameter and nearly 200 meters deep — neither the Washington Monument nor the Gateway Arch in St. Louis would peak over the rim. The surviving iron meteorites are collectively known as Canyon Diablos (see lot 24). Prized by museums, research institutions and private collectors everywhere, Canyon Diablo iron meteorites contain graphite nodules and carbonados (small black diamonds created during the iron asteroid’s impact).

Christie's would like to thank Dr. Alan E. Rubin at the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Los Angeles for his assistance in preparing this catalogue.

Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
12.08.2020 – 25.08.2020
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
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