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Meteors and Meteorites

Part of Hall of the Universe.

Meteors and meteorites_HERO AMNH/D. Finnin

Exhibition Text

Meteors, also known as shooting stars, are pebble-size fragments of comets and asteroids streaking through Earth’s upper atmosphere. Air friction causes these objects to glow and vaporize. Larger Pieces can survive the descent to Earth, and are then called meteorites.

For Educators

Topic: Earth Science

Subtopic: Meteorites

Keywords: Meteorites, Astrophysics, Meteors

Audience: General

Crater Examples

Craters are found on all solid bodies in the solar system. They range in size from microscopic pits to giant impact basins that stretch a thousand kilometers.