* Astronomy

Title:  GRA06129: A meteorite from a new asteroidal geochemical reservoir or Venus?
Authors: C.K. Shearer, J.J. Papike, P.V. Burger

Achondritic meteorites commonly represent remnants of magmatic systems from differentiated planets (e.g. Moon, Mars) or asteroids (e.g. HED, acapulcoites, lodranites). They may represent products of early whole planetary melting such as the lunar ferroan anorthosites, remnants of low degrees of melting such as the acapulcoites and lodranites, or episodes of mantle melting such as the mare basalts and shergottites. Newly discovered achondritic meteorites GRA06128 and 06129 do not appear to fit within the planetary or petrologic context of any of these other achondrites. Preliminary oxygen isotopic compositions of these two meteorites lie along the terrestrial fractionation line. The initial description of a lithology with high content of sodic plagioclase and fairly Fe-rich silicates implied a fairly "evolved" planetary lithology compared to HED, lunar, and martian basaltic lithologies. Here, we summarise the preliminary findings of our consortium that has applied a wide range of analytical techniques to help decipher the petrogenesis and origin of this unusual meteorite.

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A pair of mysterious meteorites discovered in Antarctica is baffling scientists who are struggling to determine the origin of the space rocks.
The meteorites, dubbed GRA 06128 and GRA 06129, were found in the Graves Nunataks region of Antarctica in 2006.
The rocks were oddly rusty and salty and smelled like rotten eggs, its discoverers said.
Initially, a team at the University of New Mexico (UNM) caused a stir when its analysis hinted that the pair may hail from Venus or the moon.

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Donald Pettit, a NASA astronaut, will talk about the "Antarctic Search for Meteorites: Some Observations Relevant to Long-Duration Space Flights" at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy Oct. 26. The lecture begins at 6 p.m. and will be followed by a reception.
Pettit joined the Antarctic Search for Meteorites (ANSMET) last year, spending six weeks in the Antarctic summer collecting meteorite samples. Antarctica is a unique collecting ground for the recovery of large numbers of meteorites. Scientists have determined that meteorites striking the vast ice sheet are better preserved there than anywhere else in the world.
Pettit served as science officer aboard the International Space Station on Expedition 6, which lasted almost six months in 2002-2003. Pettit spent 161 days in space and took part in more than 13 space walks as the mission's science officer. He went to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Shuttle Endeavour and returned to Earth on the Soyuz TMA-1.
Pettit used his free time, usually Saturday mornings, while living aboard the ISS to shed light on a variety of subjects for Earth-bound students of all ages. These demonstrations were chronicled and dubbed "Saturday Morning Science."
Pettit graduated from Oregon State University in 1978 and received a doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of Arizona in 1983. He served as a staff scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory from 1984 to 1996, when he was selected by NASA to be an astronaut.
The event will be held in James A. Baker III Halls Kelly International Conference Facility on the Rice University campus

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