Meteorites

Dazzling the eye as they shoot across the sky, meteorites are the closest many of us will get to holding space in our hands. Meteorites are bits of rock and ore that are the remainders of asteroids reduced to rubble. Though they have fallen to Earth for centuries, their study, along with the enthusiastic witnessing of their descent, is much more recent.

Meteoroids enter Earth's atmosphere regularly, causing dynamic streaks of flame as they dart across the sky. Many of these meteoroids fail to reach the Earth's surface because they disintegrate due to heat and force long before impact with the planet is possible. Meteorites are the rare few of these projectiles that are massive enough to make contact with the Earth. These meteorites make for a particularly beautiful display across the sky while also allowing for the examination and conservation of these objects.

The study of meteorite samples developed primarily in the 20th century. Prior to this era, few meteorites had been documented. Today, meteorites are used universally as a means of understanding the composition of asteroids and other space bodies. They are also coveted items for collectors.

Quick Facts

• Meteoroids glow in the night sky due to the high heat of friction caused as they hurtle through the atmosphere
• One of the largest meteorites on record is the more than 15 ton Willamette Meteorite, discovered in Oregon in 1902
• The mineral makeup of a meteorite can help reveal its origins. Iron meteorites typically derive from an asteroid's core, while stony meteorites probably come from an asteroid's surface