description ALH81005 Overview
ALH 81005 is a meteorite found in the Allan Hills region of Antarctica in 1982 and subsequently identified as material ejected from the Moon. It is an anorthositic regolith breccia composed of fragments derived largely from the lunar highlands, mixed and consolidated by impacts. Its recognition as the first known lunar meteorite established that lunar rocks can reach Earth naturally, without collection by a spacecraft mission.
insights Ranking position
ALH81005 ranks #22 of 213 in the Meteorite ranking, behind Winchcombe, ahead of Willamette.
help ALH81005 FAQ
How did scientists determine that ALH 81005 came from the Moon?
Researchers compared its minerals, chemistry, and trapped gases with lunar material returned by the Apollo missions. Those similarities established it as the first meteorite recognized as lunar in origin.
What does the name ALH 81005 mean?
ALH refers to the Allan Hills region of Antarctica, where the meteorite was collected. The numbering system identifies it within the Antarctic meteorite finds associated with the 1981 field season, although it was recovered in early 1982.
What kind of lunar rock is ALH 81005?
It is an anorthositic regolith breccia made from many fragments fused by impacts. Its feldspar-rich components indicate that much of the material originated in the Moon's ancient highlands.
How could a rock travel from the Moon to Antarctica?
A large impact struck the Moon hard enough to eject fragments beyond lunar gravity, and one fragment later intersected Earth. After falling in Antarctica, the dark meteorite was preserved and exposed within the ice-rich Allan Hills environment.
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