Lot 97
Large Seymchan Pallasitic Sphere
18 – 28 May 2021, 10:00 PDT
Los AngelesSold for US$52,812.50 inc. premium
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Large Seymchan Pallasitic Sphere
Pallasite – PMG
Magadanskaya District, Siberia, Russia
Originally, Seymchan was identified as an iron-nickel meteorite, but when olivine crystals were found in parts of some of the Seymchan meteorites, it was identified as a far more rare pallasite. Pallasites are literally gemstones from outer space containing olivine crystals dispersed within the iron-nickel matrix.
The present very large sphere has been polished to display the lovely and distinctive Widmanstätten pattern found in Seymchan, also seen are many olivines. Widmanstätten patterns are unique to iron-nickel meteorites and are not found on any rocks on Earth. The parent asteroid must have been relatively small, with a specific pressure and temperature range in the iron core, but also large enough to allow a slow cooling rate in the core of only a few degrees per million years. Widmanstätten patterns are created by the separation of two allows of nickel, kamacite (which is low in nickel) and taenite (with a high nickel content.) The resulting crystalline structure of intersecting bands can be used to identify the meteorite; the smaller bands contain a higher nickel content. This is a very large sphere with beautiful presentation. Weight approximately 9.2 kilograms (20.5 lbs). Diameter 5 1/8 in (13.3 cm)
Magadanskaya District, Siberia, Russia
Originally, Seymchan was identified as an iron-nickel meteorite, but when olivine crystals were found in parts of some of the Seymchan meteorites, it was identified as a far more rare pallasite. Pallasites are literally gemstones from outer space containing olivine crystals dispersed within the iron-nickel matrix.
The present very large sphere has been polished to display the lovely and distinctive Widmanstätten pattern found in Seymchan, also seen are many olivines. Widmanstätten patterns are unique to iron-nickel meteorites and are not found on any rocks on Earth. The parent asteroid must have been relatively small, with a specific pressure and temperature range in the iron core, but also large enough to allow a slow cooling rate in the core of only a few degrees per million years. Widmanstätten patterns are created by the separation of two allows of nickel, kamacite (which is low in nickel) and taenite (with a high nickel content.) The resulting crystalline structure of intersecting bands can be used to identify the meteorite; the smaller bands contain a higher nickel content. This is a very large sphere with beautiful presentation. Weight approximately 9.2 kilograms (20.5 lbs). Diameter 5 1/8 in (13.3 cm)
