FREE SHIPPING ON ALL FINE ART ORDERS

FREE SHIPPING ON ALL FINE ART ORDERS

NOW SHIPPING TO EU, USA, CAN, NOR, NZL, AUS, CHE

NOW SHIPPING TO EU, USA, CAN, NOR, NZL, AUS, CHE

SHIPPING TO UKCOMING SOON

SHIPPING TO UK COMING SOON

ABOUT EVENTS BLOG

PROJECT STARDUST

SHOP FINE ART

FULL MENU

Micrometeorites

Enigmatic NMM 646 is crowned with a large nickel-iron bead.

NMM 646 is a Project Stardust micrometeorite discovered and photographed by Jon Larsen and Jan Braly Kihle

March 29, 2022

With so many gorgeous micrometeorites, it was difficult to select just one to feature on the poster for our upcoming photo exhibition, “Space Rocks” at Biorama Projekt in Germany. We ultimately decided to use the enigmatic NMM 646; A brown cryptocrystalline (CC) type micrometeorite that is crowned with a large nickel-iron bead.

Jon Larsen and Jan Braly Kihle present a Project Stardust photo exhibition called Space Rocks — See Jon Larsen and Jan Braly Kihle’s micrometeorites at a photo exhibition in Germany. © Project Stardust, 2022.

The unusual brownish color is due to traces of the iron cation, Fe3+. Our favorite feature, however, has to be the beautiful pyramidal olivine crystal domaines at the lower part of the stone. The stone is complete all around and has a directional orientation; the front is up in this photo by Jan Braly Kihle and me.

If you want to meet Jan Kihle, he’ll be at the grand opening of the exhibition at Biorama Projekt in Joachimsthal, outside Berlin in April. Though I won’t be able to attend the grand opening due to prior commitments at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, I’ll be doing a stardust lecture tour in Europe later this year.

Please stay tuned on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter for event announcements and send me a comment or DM if you have any questions!

Yours truly,

Jon Larsen

Scanning electron microscope image Project Stardust cryptocrystalline micrometeorite by Berit Løken Berg and Jon Larsen at the University of Oslo — Scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of cryptocrystalline micrometeorite by Berit Løken Berg and Project Stardust founder Jon Larsen at the University of Oslo. © Project Stardust, 2022.

Keep Reading

Post Index

Back to the Blog

Next Post

New barred olivine micrometeorite features magnetite roses »

Previous Post

« This micrometeorite is not cosmic bowling ball material

Just in case you're new here!

Together we have amassed the world's most expansive collection of micrometeorites and we can't wait to share it with you.

Whether you're an expert in the field, an art collector with an appetite for treasures from space, or a budding stardust enthusiast, we hope you'll enjoy learning about our work.

Connect with us on social media to share the excitement of seeing new micrometeorites for the first time!

Jon Larsen & Jan Braly Kihle

We're so glad you're here!

AS SEEN IN

AS SEEN IN

A COSMIC PERSPECTIVE for your home

Awe-inspiring images of
micrometeorites to remind you
that beauty truly is everywhere.

FRAMED PRINTS

Canvases

Panels

Framed Prints

SHOP NOW

CANVASES

SHOP NOW

Panels

SHOP NOW

Bundles

COMING SOON

WINTER 2022 COLLECTION

Meet this season's micrometeorites

This season's collection features a variety of stunning micrometeorites. From mountainous cryptocrystalline turtlebacks and bewitching glass spherules to ultra rare giants. Available for a limited time only.

EXPLORE NOW

NMM 1448: V-TYPE

NMM 1448: V-TYPE

Glass / Vitreous

Glass or vitreous type (V-type) micrometeorites each a temperature of up to 2000°C (3600°F) as they descend through the atmosphere..

These delicate, translucent spherules are difficult to find due to their lack of magnetism, since most of their metals evaporated during descent.

NMM 1359: CC-TYPE

Crypto-crystalline

Cryptocrystalline (CC-type) micrometeorites are composed of glassy particles with fine-grained crystallites that are too small to recognize as individual grains.

Many of these magnificent spherules feature metal beads and aerodynamic forms, while others have a "turtleback" shape with humps distributed evenly around the spherule.

NMM 1359: CC-TYPE

NMM 500: BO-TYPE

Barred Olivine

Barred olivine (BO-type) spherules are coarse-grained micrometeorites made of the magnesium variety of the mineral olivine, forsterite, which is punctuated with small particles of magnetite.

The surface features striations that are formed when iron reacts with oxygen in the atmosphere.

NMM 500: BO-TYPE

NMM 1149: PO-TYPE

Porphyritic Olivine

Porphyritic olivine (PO-type) micrometeorites are also made of forsterite, a type of olivine that is made of magnesium.

There are many morphological varieties of this type of micrometeorite; From evenly distributed small crystals, to crystals that increase in side, to extremely large or even possibly a single olivine crystal.

NMM 1149: PO-TYPE

NMM 1271: Sc-TYPE

Scoriaceous

When stardust does not reach a peak temperature of at least 1350°C (2500°F) during entry and deceleration, it barely melts. Volatile elements expand and escape in the form of gas bubbles, which results in a scoriaceous (SC-type) or vesicular micrometeorite.

Micrometeorites of this type are extremely difficult to find.

NMM 1271: SC-TYPE

NMM 1271: G-, I-, CAT-typeS

Other Types

From G-types with dark silicate glass, I-types dominated by iron, and milky CAT spherules enriched with calcium, aluminum, and titanium, to fossil, unmelted, and un-categorized micrometeorites.

There is no question that Jon Larsen and Jan Braly Kihle's contributions have had a dramatic effect on the field.

NMM 1271: G-/I-/CAT-TYPES

NEXT

PREV

Jon and Jan are
EXCEPTIONAL ARTISTS AND SCIENTISTS.

Michael Zolensky

NASA JOhnson Space Center

SEM Collection

COMING SOON

Never forget: YOU ARE SURROUNDED BY STARDUST, inside and out.

Color Collection

SHOP NOW

FIREBALL: Visitors from Darker Worlds

SEE JOn & Jan IN

From directors Werner Herzog and Clive Oppenheimer, this remarkable journey across our planet and universe explores how meteorites, shooting stars, and deep impacts have awoken our wonder about other realms-and make us rethink our destinies.

Watch on Apple TV+

Limited Edition

The Atlas

of Micrometeorites

Never before has it been possible to see stardust in such a large format with crisp details. The 500+ color images are made possible by a new photo technology developed for this project by the author and mineralogist Jan Braly Kihle.

SHOP NOW

The Atlas of Micrometeorites provides an INVALUABLE RESOURCE
for stardust hunters around the world.

Matthew Genge

Imperial College, London

SHOP THE ATLAS

SHOP NOW

SHOP NOW

SHOP NOW

SHOP NOW

ORIGIN STORIES

Jon Larsen revolutionized the study of micrometeorites when he became the first person to discover a micrometeorite from an urban environment. Then a new form of art emerged when he and Jan Braly Kihle created the world's first high resolution photographs of micrometeorites in colour.

Learn about the singular moment that led to Jon's groundbreaking discovery
and the phone call that kickstarted a truly epic friendship.

Jon Larsen revolutionized the study of micrometeorites when he became the first person to discover a micrometeorite from an urban environment. Then a new form of art emerged when he and Jan Braly Kihle created the world's first high resolution photographs of micrometeorites in colour.

Learn about the singular moment that led to Jon's groundbreaking discovery and the phone call that kickstarted a truly epic friendship.

I HAVE TO KNOW

I'm ready. TEACH ME.

Micrometeorites

Jon Larsen and Jan Braly Kihle have amassed the world's most expansive collection of urban micrometeorites and they want you to follow in their footsteps.

WORLD-RENOWNED EXPERTS ON