Diogenite Meteorite Fragment with Case - NWA 7831

These are authentic fragments of the diogenite meteorite, NWA 7831, collected near Chouichiyat in the Saguia el Hamra region of Western Sahara. Each meteorite weighs less than 1 gram, measures approximately .3" wide, and is accompanied by the pictured acrylic display case. The photos are representative of the specimen(s) you will receive, so there will be variation in size and shape from specimen to specimen.

Quantity discounts are available.

About NWA 7831

NWA 7831 was found in 2013 at a place called Chouichiyat, about 100 kilometers northeast of Laayoune in the Western Sahara. It is a single 20-kilogram mass composed of yellow-green crystalline material with pale orange weathering products along numerous fractures. Much of the material disintegrated into fragments upon excavation.

Meteoritical Bulletin: Entry for the Meteorite NWA 7831

Diogenite Meteorites

Diogenite meteorites are a class of achondritic (stony) meteorites believed to originate from the inner crust of the asteroid (or minor planet) 4 Vesta.

4 Vesta, or simply Vesta, is the second largest object in the asteroid belt, with a mean diameter of about 525 kilometers (326 miles) and an elliptical shape. Vesta is likely the remnant of a destroyed planet, since it still retains a differentiated interior just like the layers of Earth and other rocky planets. It is one of just seven bodies in the solar system that humans have physical samples of. It is also the brightest asteroid visible from Earth, and can be seen with the naked eye!

Diogenites themselves are from a distinct part of Vesta: they come from the inner crust and are plutonic. They formed from intrusive igneous processes: in other words, diogenites were lava that cooled long enough to create crystals larger than what are found in howardites and eucrites, two other kinds of Vesta meteorites more commonly found on Vesta's surface. Thus, diogenites could indicate that Vesta was once part of a larger rocky planet with differentiated layers!

Diogenites are named for the ancient Greek philosopher Diogenes of Apollonia, who was the first person known to suggest that meteorites came from outer space.

A true color image of 4 Vesta taken by NASA's Dawn probe in July of 2011.
A true color image of 4 Vesta taken by NASA's Dawn probe in July of 2011.
FOR SALE
$12
Quantity Discounts
3 to 9 Pieces
$10
10+ Pieces
$8
DETAILS
MINERAL TYPE
Gebel Kamil Iron Meteorite
SPECIES
HED Achondrite (Diogenite)
AGE
Find (2013)
LOCATION
Saguia el Hamra, Western Sahara
SIZE
Most about 0.3" wide
WEIGHT
all <1 gram
PRODUCT ID
P-1101