Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman found an extremely rare meteorite weighing (59.5 grams) as part of the efforts of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism in the field of documenting meteorites.
A group of scientific studies that were carried out during the last period confirmed the rarity of this meteorite, which was found on February 5, 2020, compared to other lunar meteorites around the world.
Its scientific importance lies in the fact that it belongs to the farthest side of the Moon. While most of the lunar meteorites discovered on planet Earth are from the part closest to the Moon, this sample differs from the samples brought by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which were from the part closest to the Moon.
Its study will enable scientists to broadly know and understand the characteristics and components of the outermost part of the Moon.
In addition, its examination will enrich the scientific study of meteorites and asteroids.
According to the chemical analysis of the sample, the main minerals of this meteorite are: plagioglass (70%), pyroxene (20%), olivine (5%), and other minerals in lower percentages such as iron, trolite and manganite.
Among the most prominent features of this meteorite is the clarity of the outer crust.
It was affected by the combustion process resulting from the meteorite entering the atmosphere, and this process led to the formation of the minerals mesclunite and troulite. The scientific study also confirmed that the outer layer of the sample contains molten atoms of moon dust.
This achievement comes as a continuation of the various plans and programmes of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism in the field of documenting meteorites in the Sultanate of Oman, and it has been implemented in cooperation with the Natural History Museum in Bern in Switzerland since 2001, during which more than 7,341 pieces of meteorite weighing more than 7,000 kilograms were documented. The meteorites varied from the Moon, Mars, and various asteroid belt splits.
The Ministry also recovered these meteorite samples after completing the study and scientific analysis phase and implementing a special meteorite reserve in accordance with international best practices, ensuring their preservation, sustainability, and scientific documentation.
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