Part of Hall of Planet Earth.
AMNH/D. Finnin Toluca (IAB), found in Mexico, 1776
This iron meteorite was once the core of a planetesimal. As the meteorite cooled, two different iron-nickel alloys separated, forming alternating bands on the meteorite’s polished surface. This pattern is known as a Widmanstätten structure.
Core Knowledge
Earth’s core is too deep to observe directly, but iron-nickel meteorites that were the cores of ancient planetary bodies hint at its composition. But a core made only of iron and nickel would have more mass than observed, so Earth’s core must also contain one or more light elements. These have yet to be identified.
AMNH Collections 809