Tatahouine Diogenite Stony Meteorite Achondrites Specimen Fell June 24, 1931 Display

Location: Tunisia

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. 

Tatahouine Diogenite is a type of meteorite classified within the group of achondrites, which are stony meteorites that have undergone differentiation and crystallization processes similar to those that occur in planetary bodies. Specifically, diogenites are believed to originate from the asteroid 4 Vesta, one of the largest bodies in the asteroid belt. This classification is part of a broader understanding of meteorites and their origins, which provides insights into the early solar system's formation and evolution.

Diogenites are meteorites primarily composed of orthopyroxene, a mineral rich in iron and magnesium, which gives them a dark color and dense structure. They may also contain olivine, plagioclase, and metallic phases, with variations reflecting different cooling histories or processes on their parent body.

Their texture is typically coarse-grained due to slow cooling, and some display a cumulate texture, formed by crystals settling from molten magma. Diogenites are closely linked to the asteroid 4 Vesta, where they likely formed from differentiated basaltic magma. Heavier minerals crystallized first and settled in magma chambers, later being ejected by impacts and eventually reaching Earth.

Studying diogenites helps scientists understand planetary differentiation, the early conditions of the solar system, and the geological history of Vesta. They are part of the HED (Howardite-Eucrite-Diogenite) group of meteorites:

• Howardites – mixtures of eucrite and diogenite material

• Eucrites – basaltic rocks from Vesta with different mineral compositions

This classification provides a framework for tracing the origins and evolution of these meteorites and other similar celestial bodies.