Meteorite from Mars fetches $5.3 million at auction

The largest known piece of Mars on planet Earth sold today for $5.3m in an auction at Sotheby's in New York City. The meteorite, designated NWA 16788, weighs 54 pounds (24.5 kilograms) and is the biggest thought to be from the Red Planet. There are about 400 known to exist.

"NWA 16788 is a discovery of extraordinary significance — the largest Martian meteorite ever found on Earth, and the most valuable of its kind ever offered at auction," Cassandra Hatton, vice chairman of science and natural history at Sotheby's, said in the statement.

"Weathered by its journey through space and time, its immense size and unmistakable red color sets it apart as a once-in-a-generation find. This remarkable meteorite provides a tangible connection to the red planet — our celestial neighbor that has long captured the human imagination," she added.

There's some dismay at the object's likely fate: "It would be a shame if it disappeared into the vault of an oligarch. It belongs in a museum, where it can be studied, and where it can be enjoyed by children and families and the public at large," CNN quotes Steve Brusatte, a professor at the University of Edinburgh.

Mars rocks occasionally come up for auction, such as one that fetched $300k under the assumption it encapsulated Martian air. The best, though, are still at home, being observed by our rovers. NASA's Perseverance stumbled upon an unusually large, doughnut‑shaped meteorite dubbed "Thor" in 2023. And check out the oddity that Curiosity shot in 2016.

My fave is an eroded pedestal-like formation with a rock balancing atop it. That's the one I want.