Genesis Rock

The Genesis Rock (sample 15415) is a sample of Moon rock

retrieved by Apollo 15 astronauts James Irwin and David Scott in
1971 during the second lunar EVA, at Spur crater. With a mass of
c. 270 grams (4,200 grains),[1] it is currently stored at the Lunar
Sample Laboratory Facility in Houston, Texas.

Contents
Rock
See also
References The Genesis Rock
External links

Rock
Chemical analysis of the Genesis Rock indicated it is an
anorthosite, composed mostly of a type of plagioclase feldspar
known as anorthite. The rock was formed in the early stages of the
Solar System, at least 4 billion years ago.[2]

It was originally thought they had found a piece of the Moon's

primordial crust, but later analysis initially showed that the rock
was only 4.1 ± 0.1 billion years old, which is younger than the
Moon itself, and was formed after the Moon's crust solidified. It is
still an extremely old sample, formed during the Pre-Nectarian
The Genesis Rock on the lunar
period of the Moon's history. Dating of pyroxenes from other lunar
surface prior to sampling (left of the
anorthosite samples gave a samarium–neodymium age of
gnomon, which was used for scale in
crystallization of 4.46 billion years.[3]
the photos)

See also
Apollo 15 operations on the Lunar surface
Hadley–Apennine

References
1. https://moon.nasa.gov/system/downloadable_items/18_15415.pdf
2. Apollo 15 samples overview (http://www.lpi.usra.edu/expmoon/Apollo15/A15_sampact.html)
Lunar and Planetary Institute
 3. Norman, M. D., Borg, L. E., Nyquist, L. E., and Bogard, D.
D. (2003) Chronology, geochemistry, and petrology of a
ferroan noritic anorthosite clast from Descartes breccia
67215: Clues to the age, origin, structure, and impact
history of the lunar crust, Meteoritics and Planetary
Science, vol 38, p. 645-661 Summary (http://www.psrd.h
awaii.edu/April04/lunarAnorthosites.html)

External links
Lunar and Planetary Institute - Apollo 15 (http://www.lpi.u
sra.edu/lunar/missions/apollo/apollo_15/)
NASA - Apollo 15 (https://web.archive.org/web/2012072
1151636/http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/history/apollo/apo
llo-15/apollo-15.htm)
Discovering the Genesis Rock (http://www.hq.nasa.gov/o
ffice/pao/History/alsj/a15/a15.spur.html) (From the Apollo
Lunar Surface Journal, scroll down to 145:41:48.)
Astronaut Scott examines the Genesis rock. (image (htt
p://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/alsj/a15/ap15-S7
1-43477.jpg))
The Genesis Rock on display at the
An overview (http://www.lpi.usra.edu/lunar/missions/apol Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility
lo/apollo_15/samples/) of the samples collected by
Apollo 15. (The Genesis Rock is sample #15415 and is
described but not listed by its number.)
15415 (https://moon.nasa.gov/system/downloadable_items/18_15415.pdf) sample
description (Lunar and Planetary Institute)

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