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Meteors

Meteors There's an oldie but goodie song from the 50's called "Catch a Falling Star and Put It In Your Pocket" ......What is a falling star? Could you really catch it? Would it fit in your pocket? Is a falling star the same thing as a shooting star?

Meteoroids are generally considered to be small pieces of rock and metal orbiting in outer space. Many of these meteoroids are formed when asteroids collide with each other. Some of them are just pieces of space dust and debris--often left over from comets. When a meteoroid enters earth's atmosphere, it is called a meteor. This is what we often see in the night sky and refer to as a shooting star or falling star. If the meteor happens to hit the earth, it is called a meteorite. Most meteoroids orbit the sun like the planets, but if they collide with another orbiting object or break off with great force from an asteroid collision, then they can be sent flying out of orbit and into earth's atmosphere or the atmosphere of another planet. At certain times of the year, earth's orbit passes through known clouds of space debris (meteoroids) and this in when we see spectacular meteor showers at night.

StarChild : Meteoroids

  1. Meteoroids burn up in the atmosphere and fall to the earth as dust. Every day, how much space dust falls to the earth?
  2. How big are most meteoroids?
  3. What happens when a meteoroid enters earth's atmosphere?
  4. What are especially bright meteors called?
  5. About how many meteorites hit the earth each year?
  6. Describe the events surrounding the Peekskill Fireball/Meteorite. When was it seen? Who saw it? Did any parts of it actually land on earth?
  7. There has only been one known instance where a person was hit by a meteorite. Ann Hodges of Sylacauga, Alabama was slightly injured when a 19.84 kilogram meteorite crashed through the roof of her home. A kilogram equals 2.2 pounds. So how many pounds did this meteorite weigh? What kind of damage do you think it caused to her roof?
  8. The Barringer Meteorite Crater--where is it? It was made by a meteorite impact. How big do scientists estimate that the meteorite was? When did it hit?
  9. What is the largest single meteorite known? How much does it weight and where is it?
  10. Where is the largest single meteorite found in the United States? How much does it weigh. When was it found?

 

What Are Meteorites?

  1. Meteoroids come from asteroids and the remnants of comets. From what other 2 objects in outer space do meteoroids come from?
  2. What are the 3 major types of meteorites?

 

Ask an Astronomer

Curious about astronomy? Ask an Astronomer.

  1. About how many meteors enter the earth's atmosphere each day?
  2. Every year, about how many meterorites are located and recovered?
  3. How much space dust hits the earth each day?
  4. Describe what happens when a meteorite hits the ground.
  5. Describe how you can tell if a rock you find is a meteorite.
  6. Explain why you will always be able to gaze at "falling stars".
  7. Describe why some meteors produce smoke trails and others do not.

 

The Leonids, Live!

The Leonids are one of the most visible and highly observed meteor showers. From this site, you can acess a printable form to use if you want to be serious about meteor-watching. You'll also get tips from the pros about where to best observe meteors and how to be comfortable while watching.

The following table is a listing of some of the most popular meteor showers.

Quadrantids

January 2- 4.

Lyrids

April 20 - 22

Eta Aquarids

May 2 - 7.

Delta Aquarids

July 20 to August 14

Perseids

July 29 to August 18

Draconids

Oct 10

Orionids

Oct 17-24

Taurids

Oct 20 to Nov 25

Leonids

Nov 14-19

Andromedids

Nov 15 to Dec 6

Geminids

Dec 8 - 15

Ursids

Dec 19 - 22

Ariertids

May 29 - June 17

Zeta Perseids

June 1-15

Beta Taurids

June 23 - July 7

 

The Meteoritical Bulletin

This is the form that you fill out if you find a meteorite and want recognition for it. You should keep this form handy because you never know when you might need it. There is even a Committee on Meteorite Nomenclature to explain the guidelines for naming meteorites.

 

Mars Meteorites

  1. There are a group of known meterorites that astronomers think came from Mars. This is the website of a collector of Mars meteorites (Everyone needs a hobby, right?). Where on earth did most of his meteorites land?

 

Meteorite!

  1. Collecting meteorites is, apparently, a very popular hobby. This magazine is targeted to people interested in meteorites and especially those who collect meteorites. Click through the different months until you find a full-text article that is available. Read an article and summarize it in 1 or 2 paragraphs. People who collect meteorites are very serious about their hobby and also very knowledgeable about space rocks. According to scientists, meteorites do hit the earth regularly. Pea-sized meterorites land some where on earth at the rate of about 10 per hour, walnut-sized land at the rate of about 1 per hour, grapefruit-sized about 1 time every 10 hours, basketball-sized about 1 time per month, 50 meter-size (this would wipe out an area about the size of New Jersey) about once per century, 1 kilometer-size (this would be an asteroid) about once every 100,000 years, and 2 kilometer-size about once every 500,0000 years.

 

Meteors, Meteorites and Impacts

  1. About how many impact craters have been identified on earth?

     

    Meteorites from Antarctica

    1. Meteorites that have landed in Antarctica are highly sought after because the cold conditions there keep them well preserved. How many meteorites have been located in Antarctica compared to the rest of the world?

     

    Image is copyrighted by ArtToday. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

    Author: LINDA MOSBACKER - Email linda.mosbacker@slc.k12.ut.us