Unusual meteorite found on Mars: it is different from the rest

On January 27, or the 3,724th Martian day of the mission, NASA's Curiosity rover found a unique meteorite. At its core

composition - nickel.Due to its resemblance to the cocoa bean, it was nicknamed “Cocoa.” Its length is 30 cm across. Curiosity found it in a “sulfate-bearing formation,” NASA writes. The next day he changed his position and took better pictures of the meteorite.

As NASA writes on social media, Curiosity has spotted several similar objects before, but “a change of scenery is always nice.” In addition, the unusual “Cocoa” meteorite is different from others in the region.

Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

"Cocoa" is different from the surrounding rock coveredred oxide. The meteorite is dark gray in color and looks like a metal object. Curiosity's Mast Camera, or Mastcam, captured the panorama using a 100mm lens. The panorama consists of 19 images stitched together after being sent to Earth.

Closer shot of "Cocoa" via ChemCam; the red targets are where the instrument's laser "aims" at the meteorite. Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Regmaglypts, grooves and pits on an iron meteoriteprove that it passed through the atmosphere of the Red Planet. Regmaglypts were likely created by vortices of hot gas that melted the rock as it passed through the atmosphere.

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