Collection
Classification: Lunar Feldspathic Breccia
Observed fall: No
Year found: 2017
City, Country: Tindouf, Algeria
Mass: 2,81 kg
In collection
Weight #1 : 2,91 g
Certificate of authenticity: Yes (1)
NWA 11273 is a Lunar Feldspathic Breccia meteorite, a fragment of the Moon’s ancient highlands crust. Discovered in Northwest Africa, it is composed predominantly of plagioclase-rich material that reflects the lunar highlands’ anorthositic composition. Its brecciated structure—composed of angular mineral and lithic fragments embedded in a fine-grained, impact-generated matrix—testifies to the intense bombardment history that shaped the lunar surface. Studying NWA 11273 provides valuable insights into the Moon’s early crustal formation, regolith evolution, and the dynamic environment of the Earth-Moon system billions of years ago.
Under the light microscope, a thin section of NWA 11273 – a Lunar Feldspathic Breccia reveals an assemblage of angular to subangular plagioclase-dominated clasts embedded in a fine-grained, dark matrix. The plagioclase grains often show polysynthetic twinning and may be fractured or partially melted, reflecting intense impact activity on the lunar surface. Interspersed among these feldspathic fragments are minor amounts of pyroxene and other accessory minerals, each displaying distinct interference colors under polarized light. Occasional pockets of brownish to black, glassy melt veins or shock-induced deformation features, such as undulatory extinction in minerals, highlight the high-energy environment that shaped the breccia. Together, these microscopic observations provide a detailed snapshot of the lunar highlands’ complex impact history.
