| Block Island meteorite | |
| Alternative Names: | Meridiani Planum 006, MP 006 |
| Type: | Iron |
| Parent Body: | Unknown |
| Composition: | Nickel, iron, Kamacite, taenite[1] |
| Weathering: | Large-scale, cavernous weathering |
| Country: | Mars |
| Region: | Meridiani Planum |
| Lat Long: | -2.1169°N -5.5175°W[2] |
| Observed Fall: | No |
| Fall Date: | Possibly late Noachian |
| Found Date: | July 17, 2009[3] |
| Tkw: | >[4] |
| Strewn Field: | Possibly |
| Image2 Caption: | Block Island in close up. |
Block Island meteorite, officially[5] named Meridiani Planum 006 shortened as MP 006, was found on Mars by the Opportunity rover on July 17, 2009. It is about across.[1]
Block Island was the first of three iron meteorites encountered by the rover on Meridiani Planum within a few hundred meters, the others being Shelter Island (the second meteorite found), and Mackinac Island (the third one found).[6]
No strong evidence exists concerning when Block Island may have fallen on Mars, though atmospheric conditions would have favored its arrival in the late Noachian period. Block Island may be extensively weathered,[7] or conversely the features covering it may simply be the regmaglypts formed by its passage through the atmosphere. Contrary to some claims, Block Island is not too large for the modern martian atmosphere to produce, though the denser the atmosphere the more effectively it would produce Block Island mass meteorites.[8]