Field Museum Gets "Oddball" Green Meteorite

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Field Museum has unveiled an unusual find – a green meteorite discovered in southern Morocco two years ago.

WBBM Newsradio's Regine Schlesinger reports the museum calls it its new "rock star." It was donated to the museum by a private collector.

Field Museum geologist Dr. James Holstein said they're calling the green rock "The Oddball."

"It does not fall into any of the classes of asteroid or meteorites that we know of," he said. "So this is truly from a new world in our Solar System."

It's also distinctive because of its green tint. Meteorites are typically black or grey.

Nicknamed "The Oddball," because of its unusual gem-like composition and green color, this meteorite found in Morocco is being studied by the Field Museum. (Credit: Regine Schlesinger)

So where did it come from?

"Some scientists are pushing this idea forward that this came from Mercury, but we feel at this point that the evidence is kind of weak. It could be. We're not going to rule it out, of course, but we feel that it's probably more likely than not from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter," Holstein said.

The meteorite should go on display at the museum later this year as part of a larger meteorite exhibit.