This photo taken on April 22, 2024, in Chongqing's Yubei District, shows Luo Xiaopei and her husband, Wu Jun, studying a meteorite together. (Photo/Liu Li)

Chongqing - Luo Xiaopei from Chongqing discovered a passion for collecting meteorites by chance. Her collection, including rare lunar meteorites, inspires awe and a deeper connection to the cosmos through public exhibitions.

Meteors streak through the Earth's atmosphere at high speeds, burning brightly due to friction and lighting up the night sky before fragments fall to the ground. These "extraterrestrial objects" are known as meteorites. Among them, lunar meteorites are particularly rare.

Luo, a young woman from Chongqing, stumbled upon a passion for collecting meteorites by chance. Today, she boasts a collection of dozens of different types of meteorites, many of which she has donated to the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Peking University for scientific research.

Holding a lunar meteorite in her hand, Luo feels a profound connection to the moon she has gazed at countless times. She organizes meteorite exhibitions, inviting the public to view these celestial treasures for free. Through these exhibits, she hopes visitors will experience a spiritual elevation. "Compared to the vast universe, the events on Earth, and even one's personal matters, seem insignificant," she reflects. Luo believes that touching a meteorite brings to life the poetic phrase "reaching for the stars" by Tang dynasty (618-907) poet Li Bai. It's an extraordinarily romantic notion.

This photo, taken on April 22, 2024, in Chongqing’s Yubei District, shows the lunar meteorite collected by Luo Xiaopei. (Photo/Liu Li)

This photo, taken on April 22, 2024, in Chongqing's Yubei District, shows the meteorites collected by Luo Xiaopei. (Photo/Liu Li)

This photo, taken on April 22, 2024, in Chongqing's Yubei District, shows Luo Xiaopei displaying her donation certificate. (Photo/Liu Li)

This photo, taken on April 22, 2024, in Chongqing’s Yubei District, shows the meteorite's surface with unique patterns with a magnifying glass. (Photo/Liu Li)

This photo, taken on April 22, 2024, in Chongqing's Yubei District, shows Luo Xiaopei placing a meteorite in a display case for public viewing. (Photo/Liu Li)

This photo, taken on April 22, 2024, in Chongqing's Yubei District, shows Luo Xiaopei exchanging ideas with other meteorite enthusiasts. (Photo/Liu Li)

(Zhu Ting and Liu Li, Chinese reporters from Chongqing Daily, and Ren Xiaoyu, an intern, also contributed to this article.)