* Astronomy

Martian - Nakhlite
Sahara Desert at the Moroccan/Algerian Border...

Recovered by Berber nomads, NWA 998 is an ankeritic carbonate from the planet Mars. Only one other meteorite in scientific literature has been similarly described, and that is ALH84001-the most famous meteorite in the world (as a result of the controversy it provided by seemingly supporting evidence of life on Mars). NWA 998 underwent weathering on the Martian surface and contains water-bearing minerals. It is primarily composed of augite, olivine, orthopyroxene and plagioclase. This meteorite also contains shock melt, the telltale evidence of this meteorite having undergone a major shock event from an asteroid impact. While many characteristics of NWA 998 are highly unusual, analysis of oxygen isotope data confirmed NWA998's kinship with other Martian meteorites.