A 54-pound rock from Mars, the largest ever found on Earth, is up for auction at Sotheby's in New York with an estimated price of $2 million to $4 million. The rock, known as NWA 16788, will be part of a natural history-themed sale that includes a juvenile Ceratosaurus dinosaur skeleton. The Mars rock is a rare and valuable piece of extraterrestrial material, making it a highly sought-after item for collectors and enthusiasts. The auction is set to take place on Wednesday, offering a unique opportunity to own a piece of the Red Planet.

According to the auction house, the meteorite is believed to have been blown off the surface of Mars by a massive asteroid strike before traveling 140 million miles (225 million kilometers) to Earth, where it crashed into the Sahara. A meteorite hunter found it in Niger in November 2023, Sotheby's says.

It's not clear exactly when the meteorite hit Earth, but testing shows it probably happened in recent years, Sotheby's said.