[meteorite-list] A New Phase for a Lunar Rock

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:53:33 2004
Message-ID: <200212101631.IAA08872_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.newsday.com/news/printedition/health/ny-dsdata3039539dec10,0,2812410.story?coll=ny-discovery-print

A New Phase for a Lunar Rock
Newsday.com
December 10, 2002

The American Museum of Natural History is installing a new chip off a very
old block. On loan from NASA, a moon rock collected on the Apollo 15
mission will be the first to grace the museum's Hall of the Universe in the
Rose Center for Earth and Space.

The latest lunar addition represents an intensely scrutinized sample from the
nearly 840 pounds of moon material collected by NASA astronauts between
1969 and 1972. The chunk of basalt joins three other samples at the museum
(displayed in the Arthur Ross Hall of Meteorites) collected from Apollo
missions 14,16 and 17.

The coarse, light brown rock has helped researchers determine that old lava
basalts represent one of three main rock types comprising the moon, and that
the lunar surface's staid appearance belies a turbulent past. Lunar basalts
provide direct evidence of past magma eruptions and account for the dark areas
observable from Earth. For more information call 212-769-5100. - Bryn
Nelson.
Received on Tue 10 Dec 2002 11:31:33 AM PST