Description
A meteorite is the part of a meteoroid that impacts Earth after falling through the atmosphere from space. During its journey through the atmosphere, the material slows down significantly and becomes very hot; this can be seen as a meteor. Essentially, a meteorite is debris from space. The composition of meteorites can sometimes determine their origin. For example, more than twenty have been found that originated on the moon. This involves material knocked off the moon by another meteorite. Meteorites such as ALH84001 have also been found, originating from Mars. In many cases, however, the meteorite originates from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Whether meteorites of cometary origin also exist is still under debate. It is possible that some rare, very fragile types of carbonaceous meteorites originate from short-period comets. Much of the debris that comes into contact with the atmosphere does not reach Earth but burns up due to atmospheric drag. The fragments that burn up are visible at night as meteors, also called star showers or shooting stars. Larger pieces that don't burn up completely but fall partially to Earth as meteorites form a bolide (fireball) as they pass through the atmosphere. The impressive phenomenon can be demonstrated, for example, by the Sikhote-Alin bolide. It was clearly visible in broad daylight. The fireball caused by the Dutch Glanerbrug meteorite from April 1990 was visible just before sunset.
