Collection
Classification: DIO (Diogenite)
Observed fall: No
Year found: 2022
City, Country: Northwest Africa
Mass: 6,32 kg
In collection
Weight #1 : 14,7 g
Certificate of authenticity: Yes (1)
NWA 15953 is classified as a Diogenite (DIO), an achondritic meteorite type associated with 4 Vesta, one of the largest bodies in the asteroid belt. Diogenites are predominantly composed of orthopyroxene, which crystallized deep within Vesta’s crust or upper mantle. The coarse-grained, igneous texture of NWA 15953 provides clues about prolonged cooling and magmatic processes in Vesta’s interior. Small amounts of accessory minerals, such as olivine or chromite, may be present, reflecting subtle compositional variations and local differentiation. Studying this diogenite contributes to understanding how early-formed, differentiated asteroids like Vesta evolved through magmatism and collisional events in the early solar system.
hen examining a thin section of NWA 15953 – a Diogenite (DIO) under a light microscope, you primarily observe large, well-formed orthopyroxene crystals exhibiting straight extinction and characteristic first-order interference colors under polarized light. These grains often appear granular to subhedral, reflecting slow cooling in Vesta’s crust or mantle. Minor olivine or chromite inclusions may appear as darker, high-relief grains within the dominant orthopyroxene matrix. Cleavage planes and fracture networks are visible as thin, dark lines, and any metal or sulfide phases present show up as opaque, reflective spots when viewed under reflected light. Overall, the coarse-grained, crystalline texture seen through the microscope reveals the magmatic origins and prolonged cooling history of this diogenite. NWA 15953 is a very rare, bi-color, monomict diogenite breccia with amazing colors, clasts.
