description Aguas Zarcas Overview
Aguas Zarcas is a CM2 carbonaceous chondrite that fell over Costa Rica on 23 April 2019. Residents and researchers recovered numerous fragments soon after the event, including material that had avoided prolonged exposure to soil, rain, and handling. Its hydrated minerals and diverse carbon-bearing compounds make it useful for studying aqueous alteration on asteroids and the organic chemistry present during the solar system's early history.
insights Ranking position
Aguas Zarcas ranks #16 of 213 in the Meteorite ranking, behind Tissint, ahead of Krasnojarsk.
help Aguas Zarcas FAQ
Why was the rapid recovery of Aguas Zarcas so important?
Aguas Zarcas fell in Costa Rica in April 2019, and pieces were collected before prolonged exposure to rain and soil could seriously contaminate them. That gave laboratories unusually pristine CM2 material for studying organic chemistry and water-bearing minerals.
What kinds of organic material have scientists found in Aguas Zarcas?
Researchers have identified a chemically diverse inventory of extraterrestrial organic compounds in Aguas Zarcas. These compounds are valuable for studying the carbon chemistry that existed on primitive asteroids before life arose on Earth.
Is Aguas Zarcas related to the Murchison meteorite?
Both Aguas Zarcas and Murchison are CM2 carbonaceous chondrites rich in hydrated minerals and organic matter. Murchison fell in Australia in 1969, while Aguas Zarcas offers a more recently recovered comparison with exceptionally limited terrestrial contamination.
Did Aguas Zarcas come from the asteroid Bennu?
No direct link between Aguas Zarcas and Bennu has been established. Scientists compare CM meteorites with samples returned from carbon-rich asteroids such as Bennu because they contain similarly primitive, water-altered material.
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