A meteorite is a rock that originated in outer space and has fallen to the surface of a planet or moon. When the original object enters the atmosphere, various factors such as friction, pressure, and chemical interactions with the atmospheric gases cause it to heat up and radiate energy.

Jan 18, 2025 · meteorite, any fairly small natural object from interplanetary space—i.e., a meteoroid—that survives its passage through Earth’s atmosphere and lands on the surface. In modern usage the term is broadly applied to similar objects that land on the surface of other comparatively large bodies.

Nov 3, 2024 · Meteorites When a meteoroid survives a trip through the atmosphere and hits the ground, it’s called a meteorite. Alex Meshik and Morgan Nunn Martinez collect a meteorite in Antarctica’s Miller Range during the 2013-2014 ANSMET field season.

Meteorites are fragments of rock or metal that fall to Earth from space. They are very rare, but many people find unusual rocks or pieces of metal and wonder if they might have found a meteorite.

Jan 7, 2025 · When a meteoroid survives its trip through the atmosphere and hits the ground, it’s called a meteorite. Meteorites typically range between the size of a pebble and a fist. Meteoroids are space rocks that range in size from dust grains to small asteroids.

Mar 8, 2016 · Do you think you might have found a meteorite? We’ll be happy to help you - scroll down for more information and a worksheet before you contact us. • How do we know it’s a meteorite from Mars anyway? • How do we know it’s a meteorite from the Moon anyway? • Where are impact craters on the Earth? Check out the Earth Impact Database.

There are several different types of meteorites! Learn about them in this article by Geoffrey Notkin, meteorite hunter.

Apr 4, 2024 · More than 60,000 meteorites have been found on Earth. Scientists have divided these meteorites into three main types: stony, iron, and stony-iron. Each of these types has many sub-groups. Stony Meteorites. Stony meteorites are made up of minerals that contain silicates —material made of silicon and oxygen.

Jan 18, 2025 · Meteorite - Chondrites, Achondrites, Iron-Nickel: Meteorites traditionally have been divided into three broad categories—stony meteorites (or stones), iron meteorites (irons), and stony iron meteorites (stony irons)—on the basis of the proportions of rock-forming minerals and nickel-iron (also called iron-nickel) metal alloy they contain.

A meteorite is a meteoroid that survives the fiery passage through the atmosphere and crashes to Earth. Like rocks, meteorites are made up of minerals. Some of the minerals are the same ones seen in Earth rocks, but others are not found on Earth at all.