![]() There is no way to predict where they will be found as they fall more or less evenly throughout the world. ![]() In addition, many bodies collide with one another to discharge fragments that approach the earth’s surface.Īs they are a rich source of information for astronomers and also an extraterrestrial element, private collectors or museums preserve them for study or display. In space, uncountable radioactive bodies decay over time owing to their short life span. The majority of the meteorites come from comets that are volatile ice fragments circulating the Sun. Though Mars is the closest planet to the earth and the moon is the only satellite, studies have confirmed that even 1% of the total meteorites discovered on the earth’s surface belong from these two sites. Meteorites are smaller fragments of rocks that get corroded from asteroids that constantly orbit around the asteroid belts in space. ![]() Even smaller meteorites are termed micrometeorites that are as small as 10 micrometers. The meteor phase ends once the rock hits the surface after traveling through the atmosphere. Aerodynamic heating burns the meteorites and other similar cosmic bodies like asteroids as these particles reach a whooping speed of 20kms/s. Meteorites are comparatively smaller in shape and size and they are distinguished from meteors based on the collision with the earth’s surface. Meteor showers that last for a few minutes bring in a lot of dirt and pollution into the earth’s atmosphere, generate darkness during the daytime, and sometimes may even cast detrimental effects on the weather. Lastly, if the meteors are not vaporized in time they hit the crust and cast damage which might prove to be fatal. Also, another major concern is the increased chances of acid rain when emitted sulfur gases reach water bodies followed by the entire process of the water cycle. This emits greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide which is responsible for global warming. When the air resistance opposes the trajectory of meteors, immense heat is produced that melts the space rocks. Bolides are those meteors that explode after reaching the surface. Greater than usual size meteors are termed as fireballs which tend to be visible from a distance of more than 100 km. For instance, the purple color theoretically suggests that the composition of the rock is rich in calcium. Based on the chemical formation of the space rock and the nature of the air surrounding it, meteors appear in diverse colors. Although many meteors hit the earth’s surface they are distinguishable in the night sky. The name is provided based on the constellation nomenclature ‘Leonid”. Things started changing after the great Leonid meteor storm in 1883 when 50,000 -1,50,000 cosmic rocks fell each hour in the U.S. Until the 19th century, “shooting stars” were not considered to be an astronomical event. The meteorites are the remnants, if any, that often go unnoticed as most of the time they end up landing in deserted landscapes. ![]() Common people refer to them as shooting stars. Generally, they become visible at a distance of 80 – 120 km from the earth’s surface. The cause of light can also be explained by the intervention of glowing particles that sometimes cross the path of meteors. Large enough to reach the surface, the immense air resistance opposes the meteor in its track generating tremendous heat that illuminates the rock. NASA astronomers say that almost 17 meteors pass through the earth’s atmosphere daily.
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