Heavy Metal from Outer Space

The latest arrival a the FV Space Museum is this massive 127 lbs. meteorite. While awaiting a custom metal stand, she rests below the parachute panel that also came shooting back from space on the first SpaceX crewed mission (DM-2 Delta Panel details).

First found in Argentina in 1576, the Campo del Cielo meteorite hit the atmosphere at approximately Mach 26, giving it a finely-textured fusion crust of soft gun-metal gray, dramatically highlighted by sharp ridges and some of the distinctive “thumbprint” regmaglypts caused by pressure to the molten metal on its fiery descent to Earth. This one has a very unusual barbell shape, as it almost separated on entry.

This iron-nickel meteorite was the former molten core of some planet-scale body that collided in the early formation of our solar system. It resembles the deep interior of the Earth. Molten metallic cores produce powerful magnetic fields. When they cooled and crystallized, traces of magnetism were imprinted on the metallic minerals in the core. Iron meteorites stick to magnets and deflect compasses.

Campo del Cielo, Iron, IAB-MG, coarse octahedrite
Gran Chaco, Argentina 1576
It measures 18″ x 9″ and weighs 57.6kg