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Aguas Zarcas Carbonaceous Chondrite Meteorite Slice

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA Estimated At:600.00 - 800.00 USD
Aguas Zarcas Carbonaceous Chondrite Meteorite Slice

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Auction Date:2019 Oct 17 @ 18:00 (UTC-05:00 : EST/CDT)
Location:15th Floor WeWork, Boston, Massachusetts, 02108, United States
ALS - Autograph Letter Signed
ANS - Autograph Note Signed
AQS - Autograph Quotation Signed
AMQS - Autograph Musical Quotation Signed
DS - Document Signed
FDC - First Day Cover
Inscribed - “Personalized”
ISP - Inscribed Signed Photograph
LS - Letter Signed
SP - Signed Photograph
TLS - Typed Letter Signed
Aguas Zarcas carbonaceous chondrite meteorite (CM2) slice from one of the most scientifically important falls of the last century, witnessed over Costa Rica on April 23, 2019. The charcoal-grey full slice weighs 4.1 grams and measures approximately 30 mm x 27 mm x 3 mm. Accompanied by a specimen identification card from Aerolite Meteorites.

A wave of mad excitement tore through the meteorite community of researchers and collectors alike when news arrived of the Costa Rican fall that would be named Aguas Zarcas ('clear and pure water' in Spanish). A significant fireball traveling from the northwest to the southeast, shortly after 9 pm on April 23, 2019 was seen by many witnesses and recorded on cameras belonging to the National Seismological Network. Fireballs that produce new meteorites on Earth are always big news, but not since 1969 had there been a comparable event. It was not the size of the fireball, or the number of stones that fell which generated almost unprecedented excitement, but the type of meteorite—an extremely rare carbonaceous chondrite known as a CM2.

In 1969, a CM2 known as Murchison fell in Victoria, Australia and so the Aguas Zarcas fall was immediately compared to this event. Murchison is a highly desirable meteorite very rarely seen on the collectors market and a subject of great scrutiny and interest for researchers. CM2 meteorites contain water and organic compounds and it has been widely theorized that this type of meteorite may have brought water, carbon, amino acids and other materials to Earth, during our planet's distant past. It is possible that meteorites similar to this CM2 were, therefore, responsibly, or partially responsible, for carrying life-generating elements and compounds to Earth. A later statement from the Center for Meteorite Studies at ASU, Tempe noted that although Aguas Zarcas presents initial similarities to Murchison, it is actually quite distinct.

One of Aerolite's colleagues journeyed immediately to the fall site and was fortunate enough to recover numerous quality pieces very shortly after their fall. Meteorites have existed in a cold vacuum for, perhaps, millions or billions of years and they begin to react to Earth's moist, oxygen-rich atmosphere as soon as they arrive. Recently-recovered pieces are more valuable to scientists and exhibit pristine features that are desirable to the collector. The Aguas Zarca fall produced primarily small stones, the majority of which were unbroken; a rare occurrence due to the violent effects experienced by most meteorites as they blast through Earth's atmosphere. Meteoriticists noted the stone’s high degree of brecciation. Some stones exhibit clasts with abundant chondrules. Some specimens are rich in nickel-iron and will adhere to a magnet, while others show no attraction. The variation in these specimens is a reflection of the heterogeneity of the parent body, caused by pummeling and reaccreation of other asteroidal material as it hurtled through space.

CM2s are extremely rare and represent approximately 0.8% of all known meteorites. Of those, only 17 are recorded in the database as being witnessed falls and those are notoriously difficult for the collector to acquire. The Aguas Zarcas fall was a boon to scientists—one notable meteorite researcher said it was the 'most important fall in 100 years'—and collectors, who dream of acquiring an example.

This full slice shows a charcoal-grey matrix with an intoxicating dusting of delicate, light-colored ancient chondrules—survivors from the very dawn of our solar system. The exterior edge shows some original fusion crust. Extremely rare, desirable, and scientifically extraordinary.