Meteorites are bits of the solar system that fall onto the earth surface. They are origins of the outer space that withstand the collision from the surface of our planet. When in the outer space, they are known as meteoroids. Once they enter the earth surface, they are called meteors. A meteor or meteorite is a bright streak of light in the sky, popularly known as the shooting star or falling star, which is produced by the entry of a small meteoroid into the Earth's atmosphere. A meteorite is common on the surface of a celestial body and has been noted on moon and mars as well.
Meteorites that are found after being watched at the time they enter the atmosphere or the Earth are known as falls, while the rest of the meteorites are known as finds. The count of meteorites that have been recognized has reached to more than thousand. Meteorites are usually named after the place where they are found. The name is based either on the name of the nearby town or a geographic landmark situated closely. The recovered mass of meteorite is a rarest specimen found on earth and gives a clue as to how the planet's surface came to be made.
Types of Meteorites
Meteorites or meteors are generally classified into three types - stony meteorites, iron meteorites and stony-iron meteorites. Stony meteorites are the ones that are made from silicate materials and are of two types - chondrites and achondrites. On the other hand, iron meteorites have iron-nickel in their composition. They are further divided into three types - hexahedrites, octahedrites and ataxites. Stony iron meteorites have elements of both metallic and rocky material. They can be classified into two varieties- mesosiderites and pallasites.
