Fragment of a Minor Planet

4 Vesta Meteorite (Diogenite)
A piece of the deep crust of a minor planet in the asteroid belt

Hold a fragment of a differentiated protoplanetary crust. This specimen is a diogenite-class meteorite: rock that formed deep within the crust of the asteroid 4 Vesta during the early formation of the Solar System. 4 Vesta is a minor planet, the second-largest asteroid, and one of the largest objects in the asteroid belt. Diogenites are part of the HED meteorite group (howardites, eucrites, diogenites) whose compositions match surface materials measured at 4 Vesta, linking these meteorites directly to that world.

Why diogenites matter
Diogenites are thought to be cumulate igneous rocks — coarse-grained orthopyroxene crystals that crystallized from magma and settled in the lower crust of 4 Vesta. Because they formed beneath the surface, diogenites provide one of the best windows into the internal geology and magmatic history of a small, once-molten world. 

Scientific context
Data from NASA’s Dawn mission (and laboratory studies) tie the HED meteorites to specific regions of Vesta — large impact events excavated crustal layers and sent fragments into space, some of which eventually reached Earth. Radiometric ages for HED meteorites place their crystallization very early in Solar System history (approximately 4.4–4.55 billion years ago), making them among the oldest igneous rocks available for study. 

Display & collecting notes
This specimen is a genuine diogenite-type achondrite — a collector’s example of planetary magmatism. Handle with care and avoid prolonged exposure to humid conditions to preserve any fusion crust and fresh surfaces.