Howardites

Howardites are impact-mixed breccias from the surface of asteroid 4 Vesta, containing fragments of both eucrite and diogenite material assembled by billions of years of collisions. They are the most geologically complex member of the HED group and represent Vesta's regolith — the impact-processed surface layer that accumulated over the asteroid's long history. Every specimen is Meteoritical Bulletin classified.

A record of Vesta's impact history

Howardites form when impacts on Vesta's surface excavate and mix material from different depths — eucrite from the upper crust, diogenite from deeper levels — and repack it under the heat and pressure of subsequent impacts. The result is a complex breccia containing clasts of varying composition, sizes, and origins embedded in a fine-grained impact melt matrix.

Howardites are scientifically valuable precisely because of this complexity. Each clast in a howardite is a sample from a different part of Vesta's crust. Studying the clast population in a single howardite provides a statistical sampling of Vesta's geological diversity that no single eucrite or diogenite can offer.

Frequently asked questions

How do howardites differ from eucrites and diogenites? Eucrites and diogenites are igneous rocks from specific layers of Vesta's crust. Howardites are breccias — impact-assembled mixtures of both types. They are identified by their mixed eucrite-diogenite clast population and impact melt matrix.

Are these specimens authenticated? Unless specifically stated in the listing title or description, specimens in this collection are Meteoritical Bulletin classified with a direct link to the official record. Every purchase ships with a Treasure Coast Meteorite Co. certificate of authenticity.

See also: Eucrites · Diogenites · HED Meteorites