#METEOR METEOROID METEORITE LICENSE#

Ordinary chondrites are the most common type of meteorite, but they are still rarer than platinum or diamonds. They have come to us from space, can give us clues to the makeup of our neighboring celestial bodies, and can even help us to understand how the Solar System evolved so the term ordinary chondrite might seem a little misleading. There is nothing commonplace about meteorites. Photograph by Leigh Anne DelRay, copyright Aerolite Meteorites. Regmaglypts (thumbprints), which are more commonly seen on iron meteorites. This 249-gram complete individual displays faint This stone meteorite was found many years after theįall and it has begun to oxidize, though traces of the original black fusionĬrust are still evident. Gao-Guenie: An attractive example of the ordinary chondrite Gao-Guenie which fell inīurkina Faso in 1960.

#METEOR METEOROID METEORITE LICENSE#

So, one might use a little artistic license and say that our planet is living, in addition to being unique in the Solar System. With the enormous tectonic plates that make up the Earth's crust moving, causing earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, the ground we stand upon is constantly changing.

In addition many of the sedimentary rocks that make up the Earth's crust are rich in fossils-the remains of ancient life forms-but so far no fossil record of life on other planets has been discovered. Our planet's surface has been shaped and altered by the relentless action of rain, wind, and ice. In geologic terms it is our planet's crust, which a dictionary might define as 'the outermost solid layer of a planet or moon.' The outer crust of our planet is very different from other bodies in the Solar System, as it is rich in oxygen and water. The landscape that reveals itself to us is, obviously, only the surface of our home planet. Take a pensive look outside the window of your car while you are driving, or better yet, watch the hills, valleys and plains roll by as you travel on-board a train or airplane. This small, complete individual is only 7.4 grams in weight. Unlike most meteorites, eucrites are not rich in iron, and will not adhere Note theĮxceptionally glossy black fusion crust, which is typical of eucrites. InĬompositional terms eucrites are quite similar to basalts found on Earth,Īnd they may have originated on the large asteroid Vesta. The compositions of asteroids are very similar to those of meteorites and this has led to the idea that meteorites originated in the asteroid belt.Camel Donga is a rare type of achondrite known as a eucrite. Most asteroids, however, are small objects only a few kilometres across. Pallas and Vesta (the only asteroid at all visible to the naked eye) have diameters of about 500 km and 30 more asteroids have diameters greater than 200 km. The largest asteroid is Ceres, it is 1003 km in diameter. Asteroids and minor planetsĪsteroids range greatly in size with some approaching the size of small planets. Occasionally, a larger fragment will fail to burn up completely and when it hits the ground it is called a meteorite.

Certain times of the year are known for spectacular displays and these are generally associated with comets that have passed by after spewing fragments in their wake. Meteors and meteoritesĪ meteor is a piece of space debris that burns up as it enters the earth’s atmosphere creating a ‘shooting star’. As these substances stream off the comet they form a spectacular gas and dust cloud of enormous length that can often be seen from earth with the naked eye. Generally speaking, a comet is a frozen ball (of water, carbon dioxide, ammonia and other organic carbon compound ices) hurtling through space.

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