File:The Largest Slice of the Moon (49895794627).jpg

...from the most beautiful lunar meteorite, NWA 5000, largest than any brought back by the Apollo astronauts.

From <a href="https://rrauction.com/Meteorite-Catalog" rel="noreferrer nofollow">RR Auction:</a>

Not only did NWA 5000 originate from the Moon, its striking gray-scale matrix most closely approximates the appearance of Moon, perhaps more so than any other lunar meteorite.

ORIGINS, THE MOON: Northwest Africa 5000 was originally part of the Moon. In order to comprehend the history of this lunar meteorite, we must first understand the origin of our nearest celestial neighbor. The most accepted theory of how the Moon was created is referred to as the “Giant Impact” theory. Most scientists believe the Moon was created when a planet-sized body named “Theia” impacted the Earth. This happened during the very early history of the Earth about 4.5 billion years ago. The impacting body was destroyed during the collision, ejecting material from itself as well as Earth into space. The fragments from this event were trapped by the Earth’s gravity, orbiting initially as a large array of debris. Through a gravitational process called accretion, some of the pieces were brought back together to form the Moon, and the rest were re-accreted to Earth.

We know from remote observation and the Luna/Apollo missions that there are two main classes of rocks from the Moon. The first type is referred to as “mare” (meaning “sea), pertaining to the darker areas of the Moon mainly composed of ancient (3.0 to 3.8 billion year old) basalt lava flows. The second type referred to as “highlands,” pertains to the lighter colored areas of the Moon mainly composed of feldspar-rich anorthosite rocks.

NWA 5000 is a fascinating highlands-monomict gabbroic breccia (meaning a type of rock mainly made of related fragments of gabbro). The Moon is believed to be about 4.5 billion years old and about 600 million years during its early history was bombarded by pieces left over from the formation of the planets. The next period of NWA 5000’s existence was relatively quiet until a massive impact event occurring around 3.2 billion years ago created a giant melt sheet of a type of rock referred to as gabbro.

The impacting body left exotic material in this Lunaite, solving the mystery of why there is metal embedded in the gabbro clasts, (something that was never observed before NWA 5000 was studied). Another asteroid impact around 600 million years ago was mostly responsible for producing NWA 5000’s distinctive brecciated matrix as well as bringing this rock to the surface of the Moon. This is where it was exposed to the solar wind, which implanted hydrogen-rich gas bubbles into the matrix.

FROM THE MOON TO THE EARTH: Another impact event ejected this rock from the Moon and created the cross- cutting, thin glass veins. According to ongoing studies, this happened around two thousand years ago. After floating around in space for millennia, NWA 5000 intercepted the Earth’s orbit and was pulled in by its gravity. At first, it was probably the size of a basketball. When it hit the Earth’s atmosphere at cosmic velocity (an estimated 11–30 kilometers per second) the surface began to heat up. As it heated up, it gave off light, making it a meteor or “fireball.” At this point, material began to ablate from its surface and spalled off as a glowing trail of ionized gas and dust. During this entry phase into the atmosphere it lost about half of its mass, becoming the size of a bowling ball. Eventually the Earth’s atmosphere, acting as a brake, slowed it down to about 300 kilometers per hour at about 12–16 km altitude, arresting the ablation process. Most meteoroids do not survive this part of the trip thus never becoming meteorites. NWA 5000 then dropped to Earth only under the influence of gravity about 1,000 years ago, landing in the desert of the Western Sahara to await its discovery in 2007.

NWA 5000 has been highly coveted in the time since its discovery, earning many monikers, to name a few, “A Cosmic Masterpiece,” “A Real Miracle,” “The Mona Lisa of Moon Rocks,” and “The Rock,” by research scientists who usually speak in terms confined to their specific disciplines. For example, Abstract no. 5231, N. Artemieva, Planetary Science, Institute for Dynamics of Geospheres, RAS, Russia said in a scientific abstract that “NWA 5000 is a real miracle.” Scientists do not usually use terms like this in formal scientific abstracts but, then again, NWA 5000 is not usual by any means – Yale Peabody Museum said, “Arguably, the most desirable lunar meteorite in the world"

At the time of its discovery in 2007, NWA 5000 was the dimensionally largest and heaviest weight-certified lunar meteorite ever found, and remains exceptionally interesting and unique to scientists and collectors. It is exceedingly important in that it represents the solitary sample from a previously unexplored part of the Moon and is the only Highlands Gabbro available for study or integration into collections.

Originally, the complete NWA 5000 mass weighed an impressive 11,528 grams, and before cutting, it was dimensionally larger than any sample in the NASA Apollo collection. The celestial masterpiece lay undisturbed for centuries deep in the world’s largest and hottest desert, the Sahara, until the summer of 2007, when it was recovered by some adventuresome hunters of treasure. It was acquired by the well-respected Von Hupé Planetary Collection and has been meticulously managed and curated by the official main mass holder listed in the <a href="https://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.php?code=45986" rel="noreferrer nofollow">Meteoritical Bulletin</a>, Adam Hupé—from which this last remaining complete slice is now being presented.

MAJESTIC AESTHETIC QUALITIES: Although the weight in itself is very impressive, its mere presence is awe-inspiring. A generous amount of 4.5 billion year old gleaming metal is present and the matrix contrast is striking. This stone contains breccias within breccias—it actually takes on the appearance of the Moon—and the preferential orientation of clasts lends a unique 3-D appearance to flat surfaces.

Stunning breccia mantles, thicker on the bottom due to the Moon’s weak gravity during matrix cooling, are responsible for lending the 3D appearance to cut flat surfaces.

At 702.89 grams and measuring an impressive 245mm X 218mm X 8mm, “The Perigee” is also the largest and heaviest. It is named “The Perigee,” the point in the orbit of the Moon at which it is nearest to the Earth. This meticulously prepared complete slice was cut deep within the center section of the meteorite which guarantees it is the most pristine example available.

IMMENSE SCIENTIFIC VALUE: NWA 5000 is a scientific treasure trove with 19 peer-reviewed and published scientific papers to its credit and more in progress. Several laboratories including the University of Washington, Carnegie Institution in Washington D.C, Washington University in St. Louis, Berkeley Geochronology Center, Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory, Purdue University, ETH-Zurich, University of Arizona, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the Vatican Observatory and National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at Florida State University, to name a few, have helped to decode the mysteries and geologic history of our nearest celestial neighbor thanks to NWA 5000.

Most meteorites break up during atmospheric entry or weather into fragments creating multiple stones called pairings. All indications are that NWA 5000 came in as a single mass with no pairings making it even more exclusive.

HIGHEST-RATED BY SCIENTIST WITH 31 YEARS EXPERIENCE: Evaluated by Dr. T.E. Bunch, Space Science Consulting Services, who possesses a PhD in Space Science with 31 years research experience at NASA, Ames Research Center, and according to the scale which he established, NWA 5000 is the highest rated lunar meteorite with a near perfect 24.8 out of a possible 25 points. The consensus among research scientists, museums, and collectors alike is that NWA 5000 possesses important aesthetic and scientific qualities.

MULTIPLE MUSEUM PROVENANCES AND EXHIBITIONS: When the main mass of NWA 5000 made its debut at the Royal Ontario Museum from December 20th, 2008 to April 15th, 2009, it was the largest intact lunar meteorite ever placed on public display. Prominently exhibited in its own 11 by 8 by 2 feet display at the very front and center for the grand opening of the new Teck Suite of Galleries: Earth’s Treasure. It was immensely popular as patrons viewed it both on the way in and once again upon exiting. NWA 5000 was also exhibited at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History where it was claimed to be, “Arguably, the most desirable lunar meteorite in the world.” Several other noteworthy museums have integrated part slices of NWA 5000 into their permanent displays. A complete slice was the centerpiece used at Chicago's Field Museum by Apollo 16 Moonwalker Charlie Duke to promote future missions to the Moon.