Moon Rock (Lunar Meteorite) NWA 7986
 - Fragment of NWA 7986
Weighs 9 MG
 
NWA 7986 is a lunar meteorite that was discovered in 2012 in the Sahara Desert in Northwest Africa. This rock is believed to be one of the youngest samples of the Moon's crust, estimated to be around 2 billion years old. It is a fragment of the lunar highlands, an area on the Moon's surface that is rich in anorthosite, a type of igneous rock that is predominantly composed of plagioclase feldspar.
 
The texture and mineral composition of NWA 7986 suggest that it was formed from a melt that was rapidly cooled, likely due to a meteorite impact on the lunar surface. This rapid cooling preserved the rock's pristine crystalline structure and allowed scientists to study its composition in detail. The rock contains a variety of minerals, including plagioclase feldspar, pyroxene, olivine, and ilmenite, which provide important insights into the geology and history of the Moon.