Building the Solar System
Part of Hall of Meteorites.
M. Shanley/©AMNH
Before Meteorites, There Were Minerals
The solar system began as a hot, swirling cloud of dust and vapor. Over 4.6 billion years later, you stand on a dynamic, rocky planet called Earth. Meteorites represent the early steps on the journey from particles to planets—but before meteorites, the vapor and dust cooled, condensed and formed minerals. Today, we find and study these resilient crystals in meteorites that fall to Earth.
Where Are These Found?
The specimens above represent mineral species that formed early in our solar system’s history, as temperatures dropped and particles condensed. These building blocks of rocky planets are found both on Earth and in meteorites. Iron and nickel make up Earth’s core; the rest are components of the crust and mantle.
In This Section
M. Shanley/©AMNH
Corundum, Al2O3
Corundum is the first mineral to condense out of a vapor with the same chemical composition as the Sun.
M. Shanley/©AMNH
Spinel, MgAl2O4
Spinel appears in calcium- and aluminum-rich inclusions in chondritic meteorites.
M. Shanley/©AMNH
Olivine, Mg2SiO4
Olivine is common in most meteorite types, most strikingly in stony-iron meteorites known as pallasites.
M. Shanley/©AMNH
Iron-Nickel Alloy, (Fe,Ni)
Metal alloys are found in iron-nickel meteorites that were once planetary cores, as well as in most stony meteorites.
M. Shanley/©AMNH
Enstatite, MgSiO3
Enstatite is common in all stony meteorites.