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Cruz del Aire

Part of Hall of Meteorites.

C.4.2.3. Cruz del Aire. Unhearthy irons hero.jpg

Unhearthy irons

Iron meteorites are much easier to spot than stony meteorites. If you saw Cruz del Aire lying on the ground, it would immediately catch your eye, whereas a stony meteorite might blend in with the other rocks. Irons stand out because chunks of iron are very unusual on Earth's surface. Most iron on Earth also rusts away very quickly. But the iron-nickel alloy in meteorites is a naturally rust-resistant steel, so iron meteorites can last for thousands of years before weathering away.