Météorite lunaire, spécimen complet Lunar Meteorite--Complete Individual Moon rock – Lunar Achondrite (ALUN), Lunar feldspathic breccia Northwest Africa, Sahara Desert The Moon is among the rarest substances on Earth with less than 750 kilograms of lunar meteorites known to exist, less than 0.1% of all meteorites recovered are lunar in origin; Moreover, a significant fraction of this material is controlled by governmental institutions. Lunar Meteorites are authenticated and identified by comparison with samples collected on the lunar surface during Apollo missions. Moon rocks are unique by mineralogical, textural, chemical and isotopic signatures. Moon rocks also contain gases captured from the solar wind with isotope ratios that are not the same as the same gases found on Earth. Some lunar minerals are unknown on Earth and many of the common minerals on Earth's surface are rare on the Moon. Like all breccias, it is composed of different rocks and minerals 'cemented' together by lunar soil that had melted and later solidified. At least some of the melting had been caused by asteroid impacts — nearly all the craters seen on the Moon are the result of such impacts — and it was one such impact that launched the rock, from which this specimen is derived, off the lunar surface into an Earth crossing orbit. The present specimen has been officially identified and classified as Lunar by Prof. A. Bouvier of the university of Bayreuth in Germany, one of the most notable classifiers of planetary material, and will soon receive its classification number and entry in the Meteoritical Bulletin. This extraordinarily well-preserved and exquisitely formed specimen was hidden in the sand through the ages in the desolate Sahara until it was discovery by nomadic tribespeople in 2020. The current curators of this piece chose to preserve it 100% intact, exactly as it was found in the Sahara. When it was initially discovered, most of it was buried in the desert sands contrasting the desert-polished top surface well with the portion that was buried. Offered is a rare, complete Lunar meteorite weighing 325.53 grams and measuring 8 x 6.5 x 5 cm For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com