There are heart-shaped chocolates, balloons, and even solitaires. But for those who want to please their lady-loves with an even more elusive offering – there’s a one-of-kind, heart-shaped meteorite that is now up for grabs. Thanks to Christie’s, those deep in love (and in their pockets) will now be able to get their hands on a heart-shaped meteorite that made its way to the planet 4.5-billion years ago after crashing through Earth’s atmosphere at speed of more than 30,000 mph.
The rare meteorite is said to have landed in Russia on February 12, 1947, after it created havoc of sorts over the Sikhote-Alin Mountains in Siberia. Traveling at almost nine miles per second, the bright fireball left behind a thick smoke that could be eye-witnessed by many from almost 200 miles across. One of them to have experienced its long smoke trail was Russian artist P.I. Medvedev who also captured it in a painting that was later reproduced as a postage stamp, issued in 1957 by the Soviet Union to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the event.
Out of the many fragments collected from the site in Russia, was this heart-shaped specimen that was since then preserved and kept in top form. Christened as ‘The Heart of Space’, the fine rock now forms part of the Christie’s Deep Impact: Martian, Lunar and other Rare Meteorites sale. It is expected to fetch up to $500,000 at the auction, which starts on February 6. Fancy buying your better half a heart-shaped piece of the universe?
