ID 491280
Lot 70 | UNCHANGED SINCE ITS ORIGINS IN THE GASEOUS SOLAR NEBULA — LARGE COMPLETE SLICE OF NWA 5717 (SUBTYPE 3.05)
Estimate value
$ 11 000 – 15 000
Devoutly sought-after by scientists, unmetamorphosed meteorites like NWA 5717 are the raw ingredients from which our solar system formed. It was the formation of chondrules out of the solar nebular cloud and their subsequent accretion that is largely responsible for the formation of our planets.
Given the combination of being ungrouped and being so primitive, NWA 5717 contains primordial matter never before seen and it contains the pristine constituents of the solid planets. Cut and ground on both sides, this slice features two lithologies packed with a galaxy of chondrules and other inclusions (magnify the image of the dark lithology to see the same) — along with a rim of fusion crust. This is among the largest complete slices of some of the most primitive planetary materials known.
Christie's would like to thank Dr. Alan E. Rubin at the Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles for his assistance in preparing this catalogue.
174 x 171 x 3mm (6.75 x 6.75 x 0.1 in.) and 251.9g (0.5 lbs)
Address of auction |
CHRISTIE'S 20 Rockefeller Plaza 10020 New York USA | ||||||||||||||
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Preview |
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Phone | +1 212 636 2000 | ||||||||||||||
Fax | +1 212 636 4930 | ||||||||||||||
Conditions of purchase | Conditions of purchase | ||||||||||||||
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Postal service Courier service pickup by yourself | ||||||||||||||
Payment methods |
Wire Transfer | ||||||||||||||
Business hours | Business hours
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