SaU 169

The SaU 169 meteorite, officially named Sayh al Uhaymir 169, was found in Oman in 2002. It was discovered in the desert landscape of the Al Wusta region.

SaU 169 is heavily studied because it is a lunar regolith breccia, meaning it is a piece of the Moon that was ejected into space by an asteroid impact. It contains an exceptional record of solar cosmic-ray particles, preserving a history of solar activity over thousands of years.

As a lunar regolith breccia, it is composed of fragmented rock and mineral fragments fused together, including specific thorium-rich minerals. The presence of thorium helped scientists trace its origin back to the Imbrium basin on the Moon.

Millions of years ago, a massive asteroid impact on the Moon ejected a chunk of lunar rock into space. This fragment eventually entered Earth's atmosphere and landed in the Omani desert, where it lay until its discovery in 2002.