NWA 17708 Howardite Meteorite Individual, 36.92g, Fresh Fusion Crust, HED Achondrite from Vesta

Rippling fusion crust preserved across half the surface

This 36.92g individual preserves approximately 50% original fusion crust across its edges, showing the rippled texture characteristic of atmospheric entry heating. One face has been sanded to reveal the internal brecciated structure -- a mosaic of light eucritic fragments and darker diogenitic material locked in a fine-grained matrix. The contrast between the black glassy fusion crust and the exposed interior brecciation makes this specimen particularly effective for display and study.

Classified in 2024 from a find in Mali, this howardite represents impact-mixed material from the surface of asteroid 4 Vesta. The specimen displays clear lithologic boundaries between clast types, demonstrating the violent impact processes that created the howardite regolith breccia on Vesta's crust.

Brecciated texture reveals impact mixing

The sanded face exposes angular clasts of contrasting composition embedded throughout the matrix. Eucritic fragments appear lighter in tone, while diogenitic material shows darker grays. This heterogeneous texture formed when asteroidal impacts on Vesta's surface excavated and mixed material from both the basaltic crust (eucrites) and the deeper orthopyroxene-rich cumulates (diogenites), then lithified the mixture through subsequent impact compression.

The fusion crust exhibits the glossy black appearance and flow textures typical of atmospheric ablation. These surface features formed during the meteorite's deceleration through Earth's atmosphere, when frictional heating melted the outer layer into glass. The preservation of roughly half the original crust indicates minimal terrestrial weathering since the fall.

Scientific context: asteroid Vesta's impact history

Howardites belong to the HED achondrite group -- howardites, eucrites, and diogenites -- all confirmed by NASA's Dawn mission spacecraft data to originate from asteroid 4 Vesta, the second-largest object in the asteroid belt. Vesta is one of only a few asteroids large enough to have differentiated into a core, mantle, and crust during the early solar system. Eucrites represent Vesta's basaltic crust, diogenites come from the deeper orthopyroxenite cumulate layers, and howardites are impact breccias mixing both lithologies.

The brecciated nature of howardites records Vesta's violent collisional history. Large impacts fractured and excavated material from different crustal depths, mixed the fragments, then compacted them into coherent breccias through subsequent impacts. Study of howardites provides direct evidence of impact gardening processes on differentiated asteroids. For more on meteorite classification systems and how scientists identify parent bodies, visit Learn About Meteorites.

Frequently asked questions

Is this meteorite authenticated? NWA 17708 is officially 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. documenting its classification, weight, and provenance.

What does howardite mean? Howardites are polymict breccias -- rocks composed of fragments from multiple source materials -- containing both eucritic (basaltic) and diogenitic (orthopyroxenite) clasts from different depths within asteroid Vesta's crust. The mixing occurred through impact processes on Vesta's surface. Howardites are rarer than eucrites and diogenites individually.

What is included with this specimen? The listing includes the 36.92g NWA 17708 individual, certificate of authenticity from Treasure Coast Meteorite Co., custom specimen card with classification details, and protective gembox display case.

How do howardites differ from eucrites? Eucrites are monomict basaltic achondrites representing Vesta's volcanic crust, while howardites are polymict impact breccias containing clasts of both eucrite and diogenite mixed together. Howardites typically show visible heterogeneity with contrasting clast types in a single specimen, whereas eucrites display more uniform basaltic texture.

Why is the fusion crust significant? Fusion crust forms only during atmospheric entry and degrades rapidly through weathering in most terrestrial environments. The preservation of approximately 50% original crust on this specimen indicates minimal time on the ground before recovery and suggests the find occurred in an arid environment favorable for meteorite preservation.

Display-ready specimen documenting Vesta's impact history

At 36.92g, this individual provides substantial mass for both display and study. The combination of preserved fusion crust and exposed brecciated interior in a single specimen allows direct comparison of surface and internal features. The sanded face clearly shows the polymict texture that defines howardites, while the fusion crust documents the specimen's journey through Earth's atmosphere.

Howardites represent less than 15% of witnessed falls among the HED achondrite group, making them significantly less common than eucrites. This specimen's fresh appearance and dual-feature presentation -- both exterior crust and interior texture visible -- makes it particularly suitable for educational collections and institutions. The 2024 classification provides modern analytical data and documentation. Explore more specimens from asteroid Vesta in our HED Meteorites collection.

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