Lunar meteorite Bechar 003 – Algeria

Bechar 003 is a lunar meteorite that was formed by the impact of an asteroid on the lunar surface, which caused the material to be ejected into space. Some of this ejected material, if it has sufficient velocity, escapes the Moon's gravitational field and heads towards Earth. The journey can take thousands to millions of years before the meteorite finally enters the Earth's atmosphere and hits the surface. The Moon, the closest celestial body to Earth, is the source of only 0.08% of all meteorites found, making lunar meteorites extremely rare.

The Bechar meteorite was found in 2022 in Algeria and is classified as a lunar breccia, a type of rock composed of various fragments of rocks and minerals that are usually joined together as a result of impact events on the Moon. The Bechar meteorite consists of many small rocks that do not have a fusion crust. These stones have light brown weathering-influenced surfaces, while their interiors are dark grey. Inside, tiny white clasts and rare small metal grains are visible.