Diogenite Meteorites Asteroid 4 Vesta Specimen NMW 7831 Western Sahara Display
Location: Western Sahara
Weight: 0.4 Ounces (Display)
Dimensions: 2.3 Inches Long, 1.5 Inches Wide, 0.6 Inches Thick (Display)
Comes with a Free Display Case.
The item pictured is the one you will receive.
Diogenite Meteorites
Diogenites are stony meteorites classified as achondrites, meaning they have undergone differentiation and crystallization processes similar to those in planetary bodies. They are believed to originate from the asteroid 4 Vesta, one of the largest objects in the asteroid belt. Studying diogenites provides important insights into the formation and early evolution of the solar system.
Diogenites are primarily composed of orthopyroxene, a mineral rich in iron and magnesium, which gives them their characteristic dark color and dense structure. They may also contain olivine, plagioclase, and metallic phases. Mineral compositions vary between specimens, reflecting different cooling histories or processes on the parent body.
Their texture is typically coarse-grained due to slow cooling, which allows large crystals to form. Many specimens display a cumulate texture, formed from crystals settling out of molten material.
These meteorites are closely linked to Vesta’s geological history. They likely formed from differentiated basaltic magma on Vesta’s surface. As the asteroid cooled, heavy minerals like orthopyroxene crystallized first and sank to the bottom of magma chambers. Later impacts on Vesta excavated these rocks, ejecting them into space, where some eventually fell to Earth.
Diogenites offer valuable information about planetary differentiation—the separation of celestial bodies into layers based on density—and provide context for conditions in the early solar system. They belong to the HED (Howardite-Eucrite-Diogenite) group of meteorites, alongside howardites (mixtures of eucrite and diogenite material) and eucrites (basaltic rocks from Vesta with different mineral compositions). This classification helps researchers trace the origins and evolutionary history of these materials and understand similar bodies across the solar system.
