NWA 17708 Howardite Meteorite End Cut, 350.42g, Fresh Fusion Crust, HED Achondrite from Vesta

Large end cut with extensive fusion crust coverage

This 350.42g end cut preserves approximately half its surface area in fresh, rippled fusion crust — the black glassy coating formed during atmospheric entry. One face shows the sanded interior, revealing the brecciated texture characteristic of howardites: angular clasts of varied lithologies suspended in a fine-grained matrix. The size and condition of this piece make it suitable for further sectioning, with potential for multiple thinner slices while retaining a substantial core specimen. The fusion crust exhibits the flow patterns and thermal texture that formed as the meteorite decelerated through Earth's atmosphere.

Classified in 2024 from a find in Mali, NWA 17708 represents a recent addition to the howardite group. The sanded face provides clear visibility of the internal structure, while the natural exterior documents the meteorite's passage through the atmosphere. At over 350 grams, this specimen offers both display presence and scientific utility for collectors interested in asteroid sample material.

Brecciation and lithologic mixing

The interior shows the chaotic mixing of eucritic and diogenitic components that defines howardites. Light-colored clasts contrast against darker matrix material, documenting the impact processes that excavated and combined different crustal layers on Vesta's surface. The clast boundaries remain sharp in many areas, indicating that the mixing occurred without complete melting — a cold brecciation process driven by impact shock rather than volcanism.

The fusion crust displays the characteristic rippled texture formed by differential ablation during atmospheric entry. These flow features record the orientation and velocity of the meteorite as it encountered atmospheric resistance. The crust thickness varies across the surface, thickest where the meteorite presented a blunt profile to the airstream and thinner along more streamlined edges.

Scientific context

Howardites originate from asteroid 4 Vesta, the second-largest object in the main asteroid belt and the only differentiated asteroid visible to the naked eye from Earth. NASA's Dawn spacecraft confirmed the link between HED meteorites and Vesta through compositional mapping and crater analysis from 2011 to 2012. The spacecraft documented extensive impact cratering in Vesta's southern hemisphere, including the Rheasilvia basin — a 500-kilometer impact structure that excavated material from multiple crustal layers and ejected fragments into space.

Howardites represent the impact gardening process on Vesta's surface. Unlike eucrites (volcanic basalts) or diogenites (plutonic cumulates), howardites formed when later impacts pulverized and mixed already-solidified crustal rocks. This mechanical mixing preserved fragments from different geological settings on Vesta: shallow crustal basalts, deeper plutonic rocks, and occasionally material from Vesta's mantle. The brecciated structure in this specimen records the violence of the impact environment on an airless body where ejecta from one crater can travel across the surface and impact elsewhere, creating a complex regolith of mixed fragments. Learn About Meteorites provides additional context on achondrite classification and formation processes.

Frequently asked questions

Is this meteorite authenticated? Yes. NWA 17708 is classified as a howardite in the Meteoritical Bulletin Database. You can verify the classification here: NWA 17708. This specimen includes a certificate of authenticity from Treasure Coast Meteorite Co.

What does HED mean? HED stands for Howardite-Eucrite-Diogenite, a group of achondrites that originated on asteroid Vesta. Eucrites are volcanic rocks from Vesta's crust, diogenites are plutonic rocks from deeper layers, and howardites are impact breccias that mix both types. All three formed on the same parent body and were delivered to Earth after impact ejection events.

What is included with this specimen? The 350.42g end cut, a certificate of authenticity, and a specimen card with classification details. No display stand is included.

Can this piece be sliced further? Yes. The specimen dimensions and mass support additional sectioning. The end cut geometry allows for multiple thinner slices while preserving a substantial remaining mass. The fusion crust coverage means some slices can retain natural exterior surfaces.

Why is the magnetism weak in howardites? Howardites contain minimal metallic iron compared to chondrites or iron meteorites. Vesta differentiated early in solar system history, concentrating metal into its core. The crustal rocks that form howardites are silicate-dominated with only trace metal content, resulting in weak or absent magnetic response.

Collector significance

End cuts at this mass scale are less common in the market than smaller slices. The 350.42g weight provides specimen presence while remaining practical for storage and display. The extensive fusion crust coverage adds natural surface morphology that interior slices cannot offer — approximately half the exterior retains the black glassy coating and flow patterns from atmospheric entry.

Recent classifications like NWA 17708 enter collections with fresh material and lower circulation than historically significant falls. The 2024 classification date means this specimen comes from newly analyzed material rather than existing museum stocks. For collectors building HED Meteorites groups, howardites complete the triad alongside eucrites and diogenites, representing the mixed surface regolith that forms from impact processes. The size of this piece makes it suitable for institutional collections or as an anchor specimen in private collections focused on asteroid material. The potential for further sectioning adds utility for collectors interested in paired specimens or serial sections for comparative display.

Meteoritical Bulletin entry: NWA 17708 | Classification: Howardite | Find, Mali, 2024