Natural History Museum - A gem as old as the solar system

Specimen spotlight A gem as old as the solar system Did you know: This extraterrestrial piece is part of an ancient pallasite meteorite. It is a slice from a much larger meteor that weighed up to 1,000 kilogrammes. Not only is it beautiful, it contains information about our own planet's history from the very beginning of the solar system.    Info: Size: about the size of a small bicycle wheel Found: in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile in 1822 Current location: in a ground-floor bay in Hintze Hall Read more about the specimen More on outer space How our solar system was born Discover how a giant interstellar cloud known as the solar nebula gave birth to our solar system and everything in it. Read more   Find out how the Moon got its spots Watch as Prof Sara Russell tells science communicator Camilla Tham what the huge dark spots are on the moon and how they formed. Watch now Go on a virtual tour of the Museum Explore the Museum from the comfort of your home with our virtual tour. This Google Arts & Culture tour gives you access to 300,000 specimens along with 14 digital exhibitions. Take a look