Meteorites on Mars

Oileán Ruaidh: This is an image of the "Oileán Ruaidh" meteorite, found by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity in September 2010. The science team used two tools on Opportunity's arm -- the microscopic imager and the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer -- to inspect the rock's texture and composition. Information from the spectrometer confirmed that the rock is a nickel-iron meteorite. The team informally named the rock "Oileán Ruaidh" (pronounced ay-lan ruah), which is the Gaelic name for an island off the coast of northwestern Ireland. Image and caption by NASA.

Block Island (false color): A false-color image of the Martian meteorite nicknamed "Block Island." This image was taken with the panoramic camera of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity on July 28, 2009. The false color enhances the contrast of different types of soil and meteorite material visible in the image. Image and caption by NASA. Enlarge Image.

Block Island: This is a picture of "Block Island," the largest meteorite yet to be found on Mars. It is about 60 centimeters across (about 2 feet) and is estimated to weigh about one-half ton. Analysis of its composition by Rover Opportunity's alpha particle X-ray spectrophotometer reveals that it is rich in iron and nickel - proof positive that it is an iron meteorite. This photo was taken by the navigation camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity on July 28, 2009.

The Mars Rover drove right past the rock, but NASA researchers noticed it a few days later in an image that was taken and transmitted down to Earth. So they sent Opportunity back to check out the rock and touch it with its robotic arm for an analysis. Image and caption by NASA. Enlarge.

"Heat Shield Rock" is the first meteorite ever identified on the surface of another planet. It is a baseball-size iron-nickel meteorite discovered by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity on January 6, 2005. Its composition and identity as a meteorite were confirmed by the Rover's spectrophotometer - it determined that "Heat Shield Rock" was composed of iron and nickel. The Meteoritical Society originally named it "Meridiani Planum" after the location where it was found - this is the traditional naming convention for meteorites found on Earth. However, the name "Heat Shield Rock" has become more popular. It received that name because it was discovered near the location where Opportunity discarded its heat shield. How long the meteorite has been on the surface of Mars is unknown, however, it shows very little sign of rusting or other alteration. Image and caption by NASA. Enlarge Image.

Heat Shield Rock: This is an overhead view of Meridiani Planum, or the "Heat Shield Rock" meteorite. The photographs used to create this composite image were taken on January 6, 2005. Image by NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell. Enlarge Image.

Allan Hills: Rocks found near Spirit's winter station were assigned informal names honoring Antarctic research stations. Zhong Shan, the large rock on the left, is named after an Antarctic base established by China in 1989. Allan Hills, the large rock on the right is named after a site where meteorites are frequently collected because they are relatively easy to see as dark rocks on the bright Antarctic ice. Image and caption by NASA.

Lebanon Meteorite: NASA's Curiosity Mars rover discovered this huge meteorite called "Lebanon" on July 15th, 2014. It is an iron meteorite about two meters wide. A small piece of the meteorite, called "Lebanon B", can be seen in the foreground. The angular cavities on the surface of the meteorite may have been cavities once filled with olivine crystals, or they may be where metallic crystals of vulnerable composition were preferentially weathered. Image by NASA. Enlarge Image.