Meteorite

A meteorite is a solid piece of debris from space that survives passage through an atmosphere and reaches the surface of a planet or moon.

A meteorite is a solid piece of debris from space that survives passage through an atmosphere and reaches the surface of a planet or moon. On Earth, meteorites are important scientific samples because they preserve material from the early Solar System and can reveal information about asteroids, planets, and impact history. More than 60,000 meteorites have been found on Earth, and the term is also used for similar objects landing on other large bodies.

Definition and terminology

A meteorite is the surviving remnant of a meteoroid that reaches the surface of a planet or moon. The glowing streak seen during atmospheric entry is called a meteor, and the source body in space is a meteoroid.

Types and composition

Meteorites are traditionally grouped into stony, iron, and stony-iron types. Modern classification also uses structure, chemical and isotopic composition, and mineralogy. Stony meteorites are composed of silicate minerals, iron meteorites are primarily metallic iron-nickel, and stony-iron meteorites are mixtures of rock and metal.

Origin and fall to Earth

Most meteorites are fragments of asteroids, though a small number are believed to have originated on the Moon or Mars. They can range in size from tiny grains to large boulders. Many meteorites originate as fragments of asteroids in the asteroid belt.

Scientific importance

Meteorites are among the oldest accessible materials in the Solar System and are studied to understand its formation and evolution. Their minerals and isotopic signatures help researchers reconstruct planetary history. They are valuable to scientists because they preserve ancient material from the early Solar System.