[meteorite-list] Lunar Meteorite on Display at Belfast Museum

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Mar 2 13:57:42 2006
Message-ID: <200603021845.k22Ij7S11328_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4765656.stm

Rare moon rock on show at museum
BBC News
March 2, 2006

A Belfast museum is quite literally over the moon about its latest
acquisition.

A rare piece of moon rock, which was found in Oman in 2001, is being
unveiled this weekend.

It is part of the Ulster museum's Rocky Roadshow, which explores all
sorts of rocks and fossils.

A museum spokeswoman said: "All of the moon rock on earth would fit into
the boot of a small car - making our small piece of rock far more
valuable and rare than gold or diamonds."

More than 90% of the lunar rocks on earth were brought back by the
Apollo astronauts and are owned by Nasa.

But the rock going on show fell to earth as a meteorite after being
blasted off the moon's surface by the impact of another meteorite.

The spokeswoman added: "Although it weighs only 6.39 grams, this is one
of the largest pieces of moon rock on display outside of the USA.

"What is even more amazing is that it probably came from the far side of
the moon. This was an area never visited by the Apollo astronauts and
never seen from earth."

About 20,000 space rocks are estimated to land on this planet every year
but very few hail from the moon.

One of the few ways to understand the chemistry of the moon's surface is
by analysing these lunar meteorites - little fragments of rock that are
flung into space during great impacts before occasionally winding up on
earth.

Only about 30 of them have ever been found in deserts around the globe.

Lunar meteorites are useful for building up a data base of the range of
rocks on the moon. But it is hard to work out which rocks come from
where, because moon rocks can betray their place of origin.

If you wish, you can bring your own rocks to the Rocky Roadshow and the
museum's experts will do their best to tell you more.

The Rocky Roadshow is on from 1330 - 1630 GMT on Saturday and from 1430
- 1630 GMT on Sunday. Entrance is free.
Received on Thu 02 Mar 2006 01:45:06 PM PST