Meteorite Facts Buseck Center For Meteorite Studies

[1] 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, …

Dec 22, 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.

A meteorite is a solid piece of debris from an object, such as a comet, asteroid, or meteoroid, that originates in outer space and survives its passage through the atmosphere to reach the …

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

Jul 31, 2025 · A meteor is the streak of light caused when a meteoroid enters Earth's atmosphere. Air friction melts the meteoroid's surface, making it glow white hot. Meteors also are called …

Learn more about meteorite locations, and where meteorites are found, here! How do we know whether a meteorite is a new, distinct meteorite or part of an older find? Detailed microscopic, …

There are three main groups of meteorite: iron meteorites, stony-iron meteorites and stony meteorites. They differ in their amount of iron-nickel metal they contain and what they reveal …

Meteorites are unusual and rare rocks of extraterrestrial origin and are divided broadly into three types: stony, stony-iron and iron. The majority of meteorites on Earth come from the asteroid …

Apr 4, 2024 · The best-preserved impact crater in the world is the Barringer Meteorite Crater, near the U.S. town of Winslow, Arizona. There, more than 50,000 years ago, a meteorite weighing …

In simplest terms, a meteorite is a rock that falls to Earth from space. Meteorites are rocks, but they are not like Earth rocks. Most are far older, and they provide some of the only samples …