Meteorite
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Rock from space that reaches Earth
Meteorite refers to a piece of rock, metal, or other material from space that survives its journey through a planet’s atmosphere and lands on the surface. Meteorites come from objects called meteoroids, which travel through space and sometimes fall toward planets. When a meteoroid enters Earth's atmosphere, it becomes a glowing streak called a meteor. If any part of it reaches the ground without burning up, it is called a meteorite.
Meteorites vary widely in size. Some are very small, no larger than a grain of sand, while others can weigh many tons. Most meteorites that reach Earth are small and cause no harm, as Earth’s atmosphere slows them down and burns away much of their material. Larger meteorites are less common, but they can create impact craters where they strike the surface. These craters may last for thousands or millions of years, depending on weather and geological changes.
Scientists group meteorites into three main types based on their composition. Stony meteorites are the most common and are made mostly of rock. Iron meteorites are made mainly of iron and nickel metals and are usually heavier. Stony-iron meteorites contain a mixture of rock and metal. Each type provides clues about how different parts of asteroids or early planets formed and changed over time. Some meteorites contain tiny minerals that are older than Earth itself.
Meteorites often come from asteroids, which are rocky objects that orbit the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. Collisions between asteroids can break off pieces that drift through space until they enter a planet’s path. A much smaller number come from the Moon or Mars, carried into space by powerful impacts. Meteorites from these bodies allow scientists to study materials from other worlds without sending spacecraft to collect samples.
When a meteorite falls, people may find it on the ground as a dark, heavy rock with a thin outer crust. This crust forms when the surface melts slightly during the fall and then cools quickly. Some meteorites also show small pits called regmaglypts, shaped by wind-like forces during their descent. Meteorite falls are recorded worldwide, and museums often display them to help teach about space and planetary science.
By studying meteorites, researchers learn about the early solar system, the chemical makeup of planets, and the history of space collisions. The materials inside meteorites can reveal how planets first formed, how asteroids changed over time, and what kinds of elements existed billions of years ago. Meteorites remain an important source of knowledge for astronomy, geology, and planetary science.
Meteorites vary widely in size. Some are very small, no larger than a grain of sand, while others can weigh many tons. Most meteorites that reach Earth are small and cause no harm, as Earth’s atmosphere slows them down and burns away much of their material. Larger meteorites are less common, but they can create impact craters where they strike the surface. These craters may last for thousands or millions of years, depending on weather and geological changes.
Scientists group meteorites into three main types based on their composition. Stony meteorites are the most common and are made mostly of rock. Iron meteorites are made mainly of iron and nickel metals and are usually heavier. Stony-iron meteorites contain a mixture of rock and metal. Each type provides clues about how different parts of asteroids or early planets formed and changed over time. Some meteorites contain tiny minerals that are older than Earth itself.
Meteorites often come from asteroids, which are rocky objects that orbit the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. Collisions between asteroids can break off pieces that drift through space until they enter a planet’s path. A much smaller number come from the Moon or Mars, carried into space by powerful impacts. Meteorites from these bodies allow scientists to study materials from other worlds without sending spacecraft to collect samples.
When a meteorite falls, people may find it on the ground as a dark, heavy rock with a thin outer crust. This crust forms when the surface melts slightly during the fall and then cools quickly. Some meteorites also show small pits called regmaglypts, shaped by wind-like forces during their descent. Meteorite falls are recorded worldwide, and museums often display them to help teach about space and planetary science.
By studying meteorites, researchers learn about the early solar system, the chemical makeup of planets, and the history of space collisions. The materials inside meteorites can reveal how planets first formed, how asteroids changed over time, and what kinds of elements existed billions of years ago. Meteorites remain an important source of knowledge for astronomy, geology, and planetary science.
What We Can Learn
- Meteorites are pieces of space rock that reach a planet’s surface
- They form when meteoroids survive passing through the atmosphere
- Meteorites can be stony, metallic, or a mix of both
- Scientists study meteorites to learn about the early solar system
