Summary
A large piece of Mars rock, weighing about 54 pounds, sold for $4.3 million at a Sotheby's auction in New York. This meteorite, found in Niger, is the largest Martian meteorite discovered on Earth.
Key Facts
- The Martian meteorite is known as NWA 16788.
- It weighs 54 pounds (24.5 kilograms) and is nearly 15 inches (38.1 centimeters) long.
- It was found in a remote area of Niger in November 2023.
- The meteorite is 70% larger than the next biggest piece of Mars found on Earth.
- It is described as "unbelievably rare" by Sotheby's, with only about 400 Martian meteorites ever found on Earth.
- The total price, including taxes and fees, was about $5.3 million.
- The auction also sold a Ceratosaurus skeleton for $26 million and a dinosaur skull for $1.4 million.
- The final buyer of the meteorite remains unknown, as details of the sale are private.
