Meteorite returns to Mars from Oman

Muscat: In a major scientific development, the meteorite 'Sayh al Uhaymir 008', which was found in the Wilayat ‎of Haima of Al-Wusta Governorate, Sultanate of Oman, ‎in 1999, is now sent to its original home, Mars, ‎through a NASA trip to Mars.‎ ‎ This Omani meteorite is the first rock sent back by ‎humans to its motherland Mars. There was no ‎precedence of such scientific development in the ‎world. This effort is aimed at learning the history ‎of the solar system and its components during various ‎eras since the birth of the sun and the planets around ‎it. There are proofs that the rocks have evidence of ‎the geological structure of Mars.‎ ‎ ‎The meteorite ' Sayh al Uhaymir 008' weighs more ‎than eight kilograms. It was formed about 450 ‎million years ago due to a cosmic development ‎resulting from the collision of an asteroid or comet ‎with the planet Mars, parts of it flying into space ‎before it fell on the territory of Oman.‎ ‎ ‎NASA through its Arabic language account ‎‎'@Arabic_Nasa' tweeted that after a detailed chemical ‎examination in the 'Max Planck' laboratory of ‎Germany, the researchers found evidence that the ‎origin of the meteorite rock ' Sayh al Uhaymir 008' ‎was Mars and not Earth. Therefore, it was the option ‎to carry it to Mars to be used as a calibration ‎target.‎ ‎ ‎It also said that the meteorite found in the ‎Sultanate was preserved in the Natural History ‎Museum of London, which includes interesting and ‎diverse meteorites from different countries of the ‎world. The number of Martian meteorites found on our ‎mother Earth was around 424 only. It indicates that ‎the meteorite ' Sayh al Uhaymir 008' in wilayat ‎Haima was a rare meteorite of the world. NASA’s same ‎account further added that the evidence indicated ‎that the rocks had the evidence of the geological ‎composition of Mars.‎ The meteorite 'Sayh al Uhaymir 008'  bore the symbol ‎SaU008 as the first rock which humans returned to ‎its motherland.‎ Using the same account, NASA said that the returning ‎of the meteorite ' Sayh al Uhaymir 008' to Mars was ‎not planned by geologists in 1999. Instead, when the ‎work started to develop Mars Ranger ‘Perseverance,’ ‎scientists suggested using a Martian meteorite found ‎on Earth should be in the ranger. The idea was that ‎this Omani Martian meteorite will help in processing ‎the images captured by the ranger into their true ‎colors and textures, without being affected by any ‎natural conditions.‎ It was also decided that the Martian meteorite would ‎act directly as a calibration target instead of a ‎piece of metal or colored pieces with specific ‎colors used for the purpose, as usual, it said.‎ The NASA account noted that meteorites were not ‎considered financial wealth as being propagated. ‎Rather, it has scientific importance. It can help ‎scientists and researchers in a deep understanding of ‎the characteristics of the solar system and how it ‎was created.‎ The study of meteorites is aimed at learning the ‎history of the solar system and its components ‎during various eras, from the birth of the sun and ‎the planets around it to the present day.‎ NASA also tweeted in Arabic that these rocks could ‎open new scientific horizons. They would have ‎evidence of the geological and biological ‎compositions of Mars which would inevitably provide ‎explanations about the belief that previously there ‎were living organisms on the Red Planet.‎

Malik bin Mohammad Al-Dohani, a member of the Board ‎of Directors of the Oman Astronomical Society, said ‎that meteorites were of great scientific importance. ‎They must be taken care of and studied in local ‎universities by researchers and experts to ‎contribute to international scientific efforts for ‎understanding and learning about the origin and ‎history of the solar system.‎

‎ ‎The scientific research on these meteorites was ‎important. This is in addition to using them for ‎tourism by placing them in the national museums and ‎attracting a large number of tourists to see and learn ‎about them. The Martian and lunar meteorites found ‎in the Sultanate were considered of being of rare ‎types.‎ Dr. Saud bin Humaid Al-Shuaili, head of the National ‎Space Program management team of the Ministry of ‎Transport, Communications and Information Technology ‎said: Research centers around the world are always ‎interested in studying meteorites. This is because ‎they are closely related to space science, ‎astronomy, and earth sciences. Therefore, the ‎related research and studies centers of the ‎Sultanate of Oman should also have increased ‎interest in these meteorites. Each meteor has a ‎large amount of information about the solar system. ‎It is a treasure of scientific information for ‎astronomers and geologists‏.‏ Geologist Muhammad Al-Kindi said that the meteorite ‎of Sayh al Uhaymir 008 is one of the Martian ‎meteorites which was found in Saih Al-Ahaimer of Al-‎Wusta Governorate. The meteorite was scientifically ‎documented in 1999 and a scientific paper about it ‎was published in 2000. Another meteorite named Sayh ‎al Uhaymir 5 was found at a distance of about two ‎kilometers between them. Two pieces of the Sayh al ‎Uhaymir meteorite 8 and three different pieces from ‎Saih Al-Ahimer 5 were found. He also said that the ‎Sayh al Uhaymir meteorite 8 belongs to the ‎Shergottite meteorites, which are Martian ‎meteorites. The Martian volcanic meteorites contain ‎a high ratio of crystals of the minerals ‎olivine‏.‏ ‎