Zagami meteorite
| Zagami | |
|---|---|
Fragment of the Zagami meteorite | |
| Type | Achondrite |
| Class | Martian meteorite |
| Group | Shergottite |
| Parent body | Mars |
| Composition | Shergottite-basaltic |
| Country | Nigeria |
| Region | Katsina State |
| Coordinates | 11°44′N 7°5′E / 11.733°N 7.083°E |
| Observed fall | Yes |
| Fall date | October 3, 1962 |
| Found date | October 3, 1962 |
| TKW | 18 kilograms (40 lb) |
| Strewn field | no |
Zagami is the largest single Martian meteorite ever found, weighing about 18 kilograms (40 lb).[1] It landed 10 feet (3.0 m) from a farmer near Zagami, Nigeria, and became buried in a hole about 2 feet (0.61 m) deep. According to Ron Baalke of NASA/JPL, "The Zagami meteorite is the most easily obtainable SNC meteorite available to collectors,"[2][3] referring to the SNC classification of meteorites (Shergottites, Nakhlites, Chassignites), of which Martian meteorites belong.
Zagamiite
Zagamiite is a mineral that was found in the meteorite and is therefore named after it.[4]
References
- ^ "Meteoritical Bulletin: Entry for Zagami". www.lpi.usra.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-20.
- ^ "The Zagami Meteorite". www2.jpl.nasa.gov.
- ^ Meyer, C. "Zagami" (PDF). NASA Johnson Space Center.
- ^ Chi Ma, Oliver Tschauner, Vitali B. Prakapenka, John R. Beckett, Eran Greenberg, Vitali B. Prakapenka: Zagamiite, CaAl2Si3.5O11, the Hexagonal High-Pressure CAS Phase with Dominant Si, as a Mineral from Mars. In: MDPI: Minerals, Special Issue: Phase Transitions and Physical Properties of Minerals under Extreme Conditions of Pressure and Temperature, Volume 14, Issue p. 18; doi:10.3390/min14010018, Epub 22 December 2023.