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Micrometeorites

Throwback to the world’s first American micrometeorite!

In February 2017, Jan and I searched for fresh urban micrometeorites in the United States of America.

The very first one, NMM 930, was found in Navajo country, at Canyon de Chelly, Chinle, Arizona. The little cosmic egg is a barred olivine (BO-type) micrometeorite measuring approximately 0.4 mm. Remarkably, it seems to be one single crystal body because all the stripes between the individual olivine plates are parallel. Now that the space rock is documented, it will be returned to the Navajo Nation as soon as possible.

In the following days we sampled for micrometeorites in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where we visited the queen of meteoritic isotope analysis, Karen Ziegler, before we ended up in Houston, Texas. There, at Johnson Space Centre (JSC), we were invited to visit NASA’s Stardust Lab, where Mike Zolensky showed us lots of exciting things, among which were the two large cosmic dust particles brought back from comet Wild2. The next day, we returned to JSC to sample for cosmic dust on the roof of the lab. There I found no less than five micrometeorites. The incident is referred to by Zolensky in the preface of the Atlas of Micrometeorites before he adds “The irony of this I will not comment”.

The micrometeorites found at JSC were later donated to NASA, and the ones found on campus at the University of New Mexico, ABQ, were gifted to Karen Ziegler at the Meteoritic Institute. Later that year, micrometeorite collector Scott Peterson from Minnesota tried my method, broke the code, and started his amazing journey with stardust.

It brings me such joy to remember the very first American micrometeorite and reflect on how far we’ve come as a community since that pivotal trip. Now, numerous stardust collectors from around the world have learned my method and taken up the hunt. Together, our treasures add to the vast significance of this work and my dearest hope is that our collective contributions may help researchers gain a better understanding of the mysteries of the universe.

As always, if you have a question or comment, please reach out to me on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and I will get back to you asap. Enjoy!

Yours truly,

Jon Larsen

The location where the first American micrometeorite NMM 930 was discovered by Project Stardust founder Jon Larsen
The location where the first American micrometeorite NMM 930 was discovered by Project Stardust founder Jon Larsen. Landscape photo by Jan Braly Kihle. © Project Stardust, 2022.
Project Stardust founder Jon Larsen looking at two micrometeorites from comet Wild2
Looking eternity in the eye. Project Stardust founder Jon Larsen in NASA’s Stardust Lab, looking at micrometeorites from the Wild 2 comet. Photo: Jan Braly Kihle, © Project Stardust, 2017.
Project Stardust founder Jon Larsen and Jan Braly Kihle sampling the roof of Johnson Space Centre for micrometeorites with Michael Zolensky and James Martinez
Sampling for micrometeorites on the roof of NASA’s Stardust Lab, from left: Michael E. Zolensky, James Martinez, Jon Larsen and Jan Braly Kihle. We found no less than five micrometeorites here! © Project Stardust, 2017.

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!

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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.

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

Jon and Jan are
EXCEPTIONAL ARTISTS AND SCIENTISTS. 

Michael Zolensky

NASA JOhnson Space Center

SEM Collection

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

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FIREBALL: Visitors from Darker Worlds

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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.

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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. 

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

Matthew Genge

Imperial College, London

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.

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HALLO and welcome!

We're Jon Larsen & Jan Braly Kihle

We are world renowned micrometeorite experts here to share our cosmic art and inspire the world to become star hunters.

STARDUST
is everywhere