NWA 480

NWA 480 is a lunar meteorite, specifically a lunar mare basalt. This means it is a piece of the Moon that was ejected into space by an asteroid impact and eventually landed on Earth. It provides scientists with a sample of lunar volcanic material.

The meteorite was found in Northwest Africa around the year 2000. It was purchased from a meteorite dealer in Morocco. The exact location of its fall within the desert is often unknown for Northwest African meteorites.

As a lunar mare basalt, NWA 480 extends our knowledge of the Moon's volcanic history beyond the Apollo sample collection sites. It provides data on the chemical composition of the lunar maria from a different region. Researchers use it to compare with the basalt samples brought back by the Apollo astronauts.

Meteorite scientists often look for paired stones that originated from the same fall, though the pairing history for NWA 480 is primarily focused on its unique basaltic mineralogy. It is distinct from the more common lunar breccias found in Antarctica. Its specific chemical signature helps researchers classify it within the broader group of lunar achondrites.