Introduction to Meteors and Meteorites

Last time, we’ve talked about what if an asteroid hit Earth. So, what will they be in the arrival? Well, here’s an introduction to meteors and meteorites.

Meteors

So, what are meteors? They used to be meteoroids (fragments of planets, asteroids, or comets), but now, they are approaching a planet. When the planet and the debris intercept, they burn up in the atmosphere due to the massive friction. Have you ever heard of heat shields in a spacecraft? That’s the reason. When they enter the air at high speeds, it will get as hot as 2,500 Celsius on Earth and glow like the Sun. Sometimes, extraordinarily bright meteors appear in the sky, and they are fireballs.

Sometimes, meteors are large enough to pass right through the atmosphere and land on Earth, becoming meteorites. We would discuss that in the section “Meteorites” later.

Meteor Showers

Have you ever heard of the Geminids, which peaked just one day ago (December 13th, 2020)? That’s a meteor shower! It happens when a more-than-usual amount of meteors appear in the sky, which is predictable. Why do they occur? Well, there are many comets and asteroids out there, each of which has its orbit. Therefore, when a comet is near the Sun, it starts to evaporate, and the particles and debris may meet our planet occasionally. When Earth crosses that cloud, a meteor shower will emerge as the comet’s tail burns up in our atmosphere.

Moreover, the shooting stars seem to come from a single spot in the night sky. Think of the comet’s orbit we mentioned in the last paragraph, and you’ll understand. In fact, a meteor shower is named after the radiant’s constellation.

There are a few sources that bring meteor showers annually. The latest meteor shower, the Geminids in 2020, is from 3200 Phaethon, a weird object that looks like a comet and an asteroid. However, a few meteors can be seen on a usual night because of fragments across the Solar System.

Meteorites

Although the two words are similar, the difference between meteors and meteorites are vast. Remember that meteors are usually more insignificant than meteorites when they are in space because meteorites reach the ground, while most meteors do not. Thus, meteors are more likely to be entire asteroids rather than their splinters.

Moreover, some asteroids are rich in organics and chemical elements that may bring life to Earth. Therefore, investigating them is essential. So, many scientists are excited once they found a rock like that. But, how to determine if the stone is from space, not from Earth? The investigators search for these valuable objects in the desert, in which typical rocks are uncommon. Moreover, we can find evidence deeply to discover their features, including their age and origin.¹

Conclusion

So, here’s an introduction to meteors and meteorites. We explained their features and what is a meteor shower. The text is merely about 600 words, so please learn more from the references below.

References and Credits

1. (2019, December 19). In Depth | Meteors & Meteorites – NASA Solar System Exploration. Retrieved December 14, 2020, from https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/asteroids-comets-and-meteors/meteors-and-meteorites/in-depth/
2. (2018, July 25). What Is a Meteor Shower? – NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids. Retrieved December 14, 2020, from https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/meteor-shower/en/
3. (2020, June 3). Asteroid or Meteor: What’s the Difference? – NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids. Retrieved December 14, 2020, from https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/asteroid-or-meteor/
4. Deborah Bryd. (2020, December 8). 3200 Phaethon: The mysterious source of the Geminid meteor shower | Astronomy Essentials | EarthSky. Retrieved December 14, 2020, from https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/rock-comet-3200-phaethon-geminid-meteor-shower
5. Jennifer Harbaugh. (2016, August 2). Look Up! Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks Aug. 11-12 | NASA. Retrieved December 14, 2020, from https://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/features/watchtheskies/perseid-meteor-shower-aug11-12.html
6. (n.d.). Life on Earth – Center of NEO Studies – NASA. Retrieved December 14, 2020, from https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/about/life_on_earth.html