Meteors, meteorites, and meteoroids are all related to the same space phenomena, but their names refer to different stages in their journey from space to Earth.
Understanding their distinctions is all about location and the stages they go through.
1. What is a Meteoroid?
Meteoroids are small, rocky or metallic debris that travel through space. These objects are typically smaller than asteroids and are often remnants of comets or asteroids. They can range in size from tiny dust particles to larger objects that are several meters in diameter.
Meteoroids exist in the vastness of space, often far from Earth’s atmosphere. They travel through the solar system and can even pose a risk to spacecraft. NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office (MEO) monitors these objects as they may interfere with satellite operations or space missions.
2. What is a Meteor?
When a meteoroid enters Earth’s atmosphere and begins to burn up due to friction with the air, it creates a streak of light visible from the ground. This event is known as a meteor, or more commonly, a "shooting star."
Meteors typically disintegrate in the mesosphere, the part of the atmosphere that’s about 50-85 kilometers above the Earth’s surface. During this process, the meteoroid breaks apart, creating the brilliant light show that we see in the sky. Most meteors burn up completely in the atmosphere and do not make it to the ground. However, the ones that do survive the atmospheric entry and land on Earth are called meteorites.
3. What is a Meteorite?
Meteorites are the fragments of meteoroids that survive their fiery journey through the atmosphere and impact Earth’s surface. These objects can vary in size and composition, and they provide valuable scientific information about the solar system.
An example of a meteorite impact is the Barringer Crater in Arizona, created by a stony meteorite. Meteorites are primarily composed of rock or metal, with stony meteorites being the most abundant.
Meteorites are a rare sight, but their study helps scientists understand the history of the solar system. Unlike the Moon, which has visible impact craters from meteoroids, Earth’s atmosphere and surface conditions have erased many of the craters over time due to weathering and erosion. However, meteorites that land on land or in places like Antarctica have been preserved, making them easier to study.
The Journey from Meteoroid to Meteor to Meteorite
Meteoroids: These are small space rocks traveling through space. They exist far from Earth’s atmosphere and are often remnants of asteroids or comets.
Meteors: When a meteoroid enters the Earth’s atmosphere and burns up, it creates a streak of light known as a meteor or "shooting star."
Meteorites: If a meteoroid survives its atmospheric journey and lands on Earth, it is referred to as a meteorite.
These stages represent the journey of a space object from the vast expanse of space to Earth, where it either burns up or makes its way to the surface as a meteorite.
DEMYSTIFIED: What’s the difference — meteoroids, meteors, & meteorites | Encyclopaedia Britannica
Video by Encyclopaedia Britannica
