Meteorite meaning4/10/2023 ![]() One of the more famous impact craters on Earth is Meteor Crater in Arizona in the US, which was made by an impact about 50,000 years ago. It wasn't until satellite imagery of Earth became widely available that scientists were able to see evidence of past asteroid impacts. While we know that some asteroids pass very close to Earth's orbit around the Sun, we've been lucky in the history of humanity that we haven't had a large asteroid hit Earth in the past several thousand years. Recently, astronomers have discovered some asteroids that mimic comets in that gas and dust are emanating from them, and as we mentioned earlier, there appears to be a large number of bodies with asteroid-like compositions but comet-like orbits.Īn artists impression of an asteroid belt. According to NASA, a small portion of the asteroid population may be burned-out comets whose ices have evaporated away and been blown off into space. Most asteroids are made of rock, but as we explore and learn more about them we know that some are composed of metal, mostly nickel and iron. The largest asteroid is asteroid Ceres at about 952 km (592 miles) in diameter, and Ceres is so large that it is also categorized as a dwarf planet. The size of what classifies as an asteroid is not extremely well defined, as an asteroid can range from a few meters wide – like a boulder-to objects that are hundreds of kilometers in diameter. Our solar system contains millions of asteroids, many of which are thought to be the shattered remnants of planetesimals – bodies within the young Sun's solar nebula that never grew large enough to become planets. In addition to the asteroid belt, however, there have been recent discussions among astronomers about the potential existence of large number asteroids in the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud.Īsteroids are sometimes referred to as minor planets or planetoids, but in general, they are rocky bodies that do not have an atmosphere. Sometimes their orbits get perturbed or altered and some asteroids end up coming closer to the Sun, and therefore closer to Earth. This can also be called a fireball.Īsteroids are found mainly in the asteroid belt, between Mars and Jupiter. Meteorite: If a small asteroid or large meteoroid survives its fiery passage through the Earth's atmosphere and lands on Earth's surface, it is then called a meteorite.Īnother related term is bolide, which is a very bright meteor that often explodes in the atmosphere. ![]() Meteor: If a meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere and vaporizes, it becomes a meteor, which is often called a shooting star.Meteoroid: much smaller rocks or particles in orbit around the Sun.Asteroid: a large rocky body in space, in orbit around the Sun.Send us feedback.In simplest terms here are the definitions: These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'meteorite.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. ![]() 2023 Per Marvel lore, this extraterrestrial mineral first came to earth when a meteorite crash landed in Wakanda, permanently reshaping the terrain and leading to advanced technological discoveries. Eva Botkin-kowacki, Popular Science, 22 Jan. 2023 As such, dating the Erg Chech 002 meteorite provides a snapshot of a time when the proto-Earth was likely at a similar stage in its conception. 2022 Distinguishing a meteorite from other rocks can be a tricky process, Valdes said. 2022 Finding extra-terrestrial water on this meteorite is a big deal. ![]() Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 19 Dec. 2023 This dagger was initially found inside King Tut's tomb and forged from an iron meteorite. 2023 Hidalgo County Sheriff Eddie Guerra confirmed on social media that Houston Air Traffic Control received reports from two aircraft that spotted a meteorite that crashed west of McAllen. ![]() 2023 The National Weather Service in Brownsville, Texas, said a satellite system designed to measure lightning strikes detected the apparent meteorite. Recent Examples on the Web Home surveillance video in the area captured a sonic boom from the meteorite's impact, which scattered birds and rattled windows nearby. ![]()
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