If you've got a spare few hundred thousand dollars, you can bid on some some star-quality stellar material being auctioned in London.
The legendary Martian Meteorite Zagami. Estimate £250,000 to £450,000. Photo: SUPPLIED/Christie's Images
It is the first time Christie's has had an auction dedicated to historically important meteorites, with more than 80 lots of celestial detritus from asteroids, the Moon and Mars on the block. Lots are expected to go from as low as £500 ($NZ1025) up to £800,000 (SNZ1.6 million).
Royal Astronomical Society deputy executive director Robert Massey told Morning Report there were extraordinary pieces of history in the collection, and some had been valuable to our understanding of the universe.
"You can't go very far in the wider universe but sometimes pieces of it come to us.
"All I can say is I wish I was rich enough to put in some serious bids for this but I think they are probably a little bit out of my price range," he said.
A partial slice of Imilac meteorite with Peridot. Estimate £2000 to £3000. Photo: SUPPLIED/Christie's Images
The meteorites have been recovered from locations throughout the world including the UK, Sweden, Russia, United States, Morocco and Australia.
One of the rocks is the only one documented to have caused a fatal direct hit - it killed a cow it crashed into in Venezuela.
The meteorite Allende is dated from the formation of our solar system. Photo: SUPPLIED/Christie's Images
Another, Allende, is the most studied meteorite in the world. It has been dated to the formation of our solar system, around 4.56 billion years ago, which makes it about a third as old as time itself. This one has the relatively affordable estimate of between £2000 and £3000.
Others on the block include an oriented pallasitic meteorite, the largest of its type, which did not rotate when it plummeted to earth and was worn into a dome shape by 1600°C temperatures. This one could go for between £500,000 and £800,000.
Mr Massey said the prices varied according to rarity, size, but like fine art, the beauty of the objects would help push up the price.
"It is that intangible thing. Perhaps it is that fascination with space and the desire to own just a little piece of it and show friends when they come round. There is something really interesting about that," he said.
The auction is due to get under way later tonight.
