Submit a Picture

Where is My Picture?!

The Queue

Met Name

Met Type

Thin Sections

  Tektite

Steve writes:

As most folks probably already know, rizalites (sometimes also called philippinites) are indochinite tektites named after the Philippine province of Rizal where they’re found.

I understand that rizalites are just over 700,000 years old (the same age as the australites, which some postulate were ejected by the impacting meteorite first).

Because of its largely round shape, this example is possibly the nucleus of a larger piece that was left over after its outer shell fractured off at impact. From what I’ve read, apparent contraction cracks in pieces like this might instead be air bubble tunnels that formed on impact or when shedding off its lid.

Photo 1 gives an idea of the rizalite’s size compared to a 1 cm cube.

Photos 2 and 3 are crossed-eyes stereo 3D images showing what I’ve arbitrarily called the “top” and “bottom”.

Photo 4 is a crossed-eyes 3D animated gif showing eight 45-degree rotations around the “sides” of it.

Photo 5 is the same thing, but as a red-cyan anaglyph for those that struggle with crossed-eyes stereo images.

(Sorry if the 3D effect appears exaggerated – I’m experimenting with a new homebrewed photography setup and I don’t think I have the eye separation quite dialed in yet.)

  Click to view larger photos     #1     #2     #3     #4     #5