2429

Campo Las Palmas Meteorite [Unofficial]

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA Estimated At:1,000.00 - 1,500.00 USD
Campo Las Palmas Meteorite [Unofficial]

Bidding Over

The auction is over for this lot.
The auctioneer wasn't accepting online bids for this lot.

Contact the auctioneer for information on the auction results.

Search for other lots to bid on...
Auction Date:2020 Jul 16 @ 18:00 (UTC-5 : 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
Iron meteorite, unclassified. Formosa, Argentina, found 2006. Complete regmaglypted individual with remnant fusion crust weighing 751.1 grams and measuring 112 mm x 45 mm x 48 mm. In 2006, Aerolite Meteorites CEO Geoffrey Notkin flew across the continent at no notice to meet a friend and fellow meteorite hunter who had just returned from South America with a significant new meteorite find.

Originally hoping to extend the known boundaries of the Campo del Cielo strewnfield, the hunter had explored far into Formosa Province in Argentina, where he discovered a small and previously unknown meteorite strewnfield 200 miles north of Campo del Cielo and near the town of Las Palmas (“The Palms”). The strewnfield was searched three times using metal detectors: north to south, east to west, and finally at a diagonal, to ensure that all pieces were recovered. The zone produced about 300 kg of small, beautifully-regmaglypted and highly sculptural iron meteorites. Since these irons originated in Argentina, they were assumed by many researchers to be examples of the already-known Campo del Cielo meteorite, even though the strewnfields are separated by 200 miles and the Las Palmas strewnfield is perpendicular to the Campo del Cielo strewnfield. Notkin was so impressed by the beauty and quality of these specimens that he purchased the bulk of them immediately.

Aerolite Meteorites attempted to have the “Las Palmas” meteorite classified three separate times by three different academics and, each time, a different conclusion was reached. One highly respected researcher said he believed Las Palmas to have the same or similar structure and classification as Campo del Cielo, but stated that it was: “On the strange end of Campo.” It is highly unlikely that two meteorite strewnfields that are perpendicular to each other and separated by 200 miles could represent the same fall, although the falls could have originated from the same parent body, but fallen at different times.

The Las Palmas individuals are very well preserved, with multiple, fine, small regmaglypts, and most uncleaned pieces display clear remnant fusion crust. These characteristics appear different to the majority of Campo del Cielo finds. Aerolite Meteorites CEO Geoffrey Notkin went on record saying that, in his professional opinion and based on the find data and surface characteristics, “Las Palmas” is a different and distinct meteorite from Campo del Cielo, but no official new classification has been forthcoming to date. “Las Palmas” is not an official name and it is not listed in the Meteoritical Bulletin database. It is, however, without any doubt, a genuine iron meteorite and this specimen, an attractive, elongated complete and uncleaned individual displays multiple fine regmaglypts, a pleasing sculptural shape, and patches of blue-grey fusion crust.