PUBLISHED: . 08:19 EST, 1 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:21 EST, 1 April 2013 . Researchers believe they may have found the first meteorite from Mercury to have been found on Earth. The unusual green rock, called NWA 7325, was spotted in southern Morocco in 2012, comprising 35 fragments totaling about 345 grams. Experts now believe it may have come from the surface of Mercury. This green meteorite that landed in Morocco in 2012 could be from Mercury, researchers believe - making it the first Mercury meteorite found on Earth . Messenger is the first spacecraft . ever to orbit the planet Mercury. The spacecraft's seven scientific . instruments and radio science investigation are unraveling the history . and evolution of the planet closest to the Sun. During its one-year . primary mission, Messenger acquired 88,746 images. It is now in an extended mission, during which plans . call for the acquisition of more than 80,000 additional images . The dark green stones were purchased by meteorite dealer Stefan Ralew, who sent samples of NWA 7325 to researcher Anthony Irving of the University of Washington, a specialist in meteorites of planetary origin. Irving found that the fragments contained surprisingly little iron but considerable amounts of magnesium, aluminum, and calcium silicates. This matches with observations from Nasa's Messenger spacecraft of the surface crust of Mercury. However, the rock did have higher than expected amounts of calcium silicates, leading Irving to speculate the fragments of NWA 7325 could have come from a deeper part of Mercury’s crust, excavated by a powerful impact event and launched into space, eventually finding their way to Earth. A recent high resolution image of the surface of Mercury: Researchers now believe they may have found the first confirmed meteorite from the planet on Earth . 'It might be a sample from Mercury, or it might be a sample from a body smaller than Mercury but [which] is like Mercury,' said Irving, who unveiled the new findings this month at the 44th annual Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in The Woodlands, Texas. Irving thinks that the meteorite was created and eventually ejected from a planet or other body that had flowing magma on its surface at some point in its history. Evidence suggests that the rock could have been formed as 'scum' on the top of the magma, Irving said.
The unusual green rock, called NWA 7325, .
was spotted in southern Morocco in 2012 .
Comprises 35 fragments .
totaling about 345 grams .
PUBLISHED: . 08:19 EST, 1 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:21 EST, 1 April 2013 . Researchers believe they may have found the first meteorite from Mercury to have been found on Earth. The unusual green rock, called NWA 7325, was spotted in southern Morocco in 2012, comprising 35 fragments totaling about 345 grams. Experts now believe it may have come from the surface of Mercury. This green meteorite that landed in Morocco in 2012 could be from Mercury, researchers believe - making it the first Mercury meteorite found on Earth . Messenger is the first spacecraft . ever to orbit the planet Mercury. The spacecraft's seven scientific . instruments and radio science investigation are unraveling the history . and evolution of the planet closest to the Sun. During its one-year . primary mission, Messenger acquired 88,746 images. It is now in an extended mission, during which plans . call for the acquisition of more than 80,000 additional images . The dark green stones were purchased by meteorite dealer Stefan Ralew, who sent samples of NWA 7325 to researcher Anthony Irving of the University of Washington, a specialist in meteorites of planetary origin. Irving found that the fragments contained surprisingly little iron but considerable amounts of magnesium, aluminum, and calcium silicates. This matches with observations from Nasa's Messenger spacecraft of the surface crust of Mercury. However, the rock did have higher than expected amounts of calcium silicates, leading Irving to speculate the fragments of NWA 7325 could have come from a deeper part of Mercury’s crust, excavated by a powerful impact event and launched into space, eventually finding their way to Earth. A recent high resolution image of the surface of Mercury: Researchers now believe they may have found the first confirmed meteorite from the planet on Earth . 'It might be a sample from Mercury, or it might be a sample from a body smaller than Mercury but [which] is like Mercury,' said Irving, who unveiled the new findings this month at the 44th annual Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in The Woodlands, Texas. Irving thinks that the meteorite was created and eventually ejected from a planet or other body that had flowing magma on its surface at some point in its history. Evidence suggests that the rock could have been formed as 'scum' on the top of the magma, Irving said.
unusual green rock, called NWA 7325, was spotted in southern Morocco in 2012, comprising 35 fragments totaling about 345 grams. Experts now