Cruz del Aire main content.

Cruz del Aire

Part of Hall of Meteorites.

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

Exhibition Text

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.

Collection Information

CRUZ DEL AIRE

Found 1911 Sabina Hidalgo, Nuevo Leon, Mexico

UNGROUPED

AMNH 279

For Educators

Topic: Earth Science

Subtopic: Meteorites

Keywords: Astrophysics, Iron-nickel alloys, Astrogeology, Meteorites, Iron

Audience: General