Name: Chassigny
Observed fall: Yes, October 3, 1815, near the village of Chassigny, France
Classification: Type specimen of the chassignite group, martian meteorite
Mass: 0.483 gram
Form: Fragment, no crust
Link to publication Meteoritical Bulletin: https://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.cfm?code=5331
Price available upon request. Please contact us to discuss acquisition.
This 0.483 g fragment originates from the historic Chassigny meteorite, which fell on October 3, 1815, near the village of Chassigny in Haute-Marne, France. The fall was witnessed following loud sonic detonations, making Chassigny one of the earliest well-documented meteorite falls in history and one of the most significant Martian meteorites ever recovered.
Chassigny is the type specimen of the chassignite group, a rare class of Martian meteorites dominated by olivine-rich ultramafic compositions. Unlike shergottites and nakhlites, which are primarily volcanic or shallow intrusive rocks, chassignites are interpreted as mantle-derived materials, providing direct insight into the interior of Mars.
This fragment is without fusion crust, exposing the interior of the meteorite and allowing direct observation of its mineralogical character. Its pale green to beige coloration reflects a mineralogy dominated by coarse-grained olivine, with subordinate pyroxene and minor accessory phases, consistent with slow crystallization at depth within the Martian mantle.
Chassigny occupies a unique position in planetary science. Together with Shergotty and Nakhla, it played a foundational role in the recognition of the SNC group, long before the Martian origin of these meteorites was conclusively demonstrated through isotopic studies. Its mineralogical, chemical, and isotopic signatures have since been extensively studied and remain central to our understanding of Martian differentiation, mantle composition, and early planetary evolution.
Because Chassigny is a historical witnessed fall and survives today in only a very limited preserved mass—most of which is curated in major institutional collections such as the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (Paris)—material from this meteorite is exceptionally rare. This fragment represents a genuine and well-documented piece of one of the most important Martian meteorites known.
Price available upon request. Please contact us to discuss acquisition.
