Stuff We Want: Dancing Bear Campo del Cielo Meteorite, a Real Space Rock for Your Shelf
"sahara desert martian meteorite discovery" is rising on Google Trends. You can't have the Mars rock. You can have one that fell on Argentina.
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Google Trends has sahara desert martian meteorite discovery climbing this morning. NASA-funded scientists say a rose-colored rock found in the Sahara in Mali in 2022, now named Teghaza 001, is a piece of Mars that formed more than 4.1 billion years ago. That makes it one of the oldest Martian meteorites ever found.
Naturally, everyone's first thought was: can I own one? Short answer: not that one. It's in the science lane now, and it's staying there.
Here's the next best thing for your shelf. The Dancing Bear Campo del Cielo Meteorite is a genuine iron meteorite from the Campo del Cielo area of Argentina. It isn't from Mars, and we're not going to pretend it is. It is a real rock from space, and that's still a wild thing to put next to your coffee mug.
This one is the extra large size, 20 to 32 grams, and the rock it came from weighed over a ton before it hit Earth more than 4,000 years ago. The info card in the photos says it's mostly iron with some nickel.
It ships ready to give: a display case, an ID card and a certificate of authenticity, and it's hand-assembled by the Dancing Bear team in Eugene, Oregon.
This is the gift for the person who already owns every space mug. Nobody unwraps a meteorite and says "oh, I have one of these."
Who it's for
- Space nerds who just read about Teghaza 001 three times.
- Kids into science who need proof that space is real and heavy.
- Christmas and stocking stuffer shoppers who want a gift with a story.
Who should skip it
- You wanted Mars specifically. This is an iron meteorite from Argentina.
- You need a big centerpiece. It's a palm-size specimen, not a boulder.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Genuine Campo del Cielo iron meteorite.
- Comes with a display case, ID card and certificate of authenticity.
- Hand-assembled in Eugene, Oregon.
- Small enough for a desk, shelf or stocking.
Cons
- Not a Martian meteorite. Different rock, different planet's neighborhood.
- Each piece varies within the 20 to 32 gram range.
Pros and cons are our read of the features on the listing, not a hands-on test.
How it compares
Vs. the Metal Earth Mars Rover Perseverance: the rover kit is the Mars part. Put the two side by side and you've got the whole story.
More space shelf: the ROKR huge orrery model and the ROKR space shuttle.
Weather nerds too: the Enkrio storm glass is the other shelf curiosity people ask about. For more gift ideas, see our Christmas gift guide.
FAQ
Is this a Martian meteorite like the one in the news?
No. It's a Campo del Cielo iron meteorite from Argentina. The news is about Teghaza 001, a Martian meteorite found in the Sahara and studied by NASA-funded scientists.
What's in the box?
The meteorite, a display case, an ID card and a certificate of authenticity.
How big is it?
The extra large size is listed at 20 to 32 grams. Each piece is unique.
What is it made of?
Mostly iron with some nickel.
The verdict
The verdict: hand-picked for the day everyone wanted a piece of space. Mars is taken. Argentina's sky rock is ready to wrap.
#ad. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Hand-picked by The Deez List.
