Search results
Apr 6, 2023 · 1. Hoba Meteorite. The massive Hoba Meteorite. The Hoba Meteorite is one of the most famous meteorites in history due to its massive size and unique characteristics. It is the largest single meteorite ever found on Earth and the largest piece of iron ever found near the Earth’s surface.
Scientists can tell where meteorites originate based on several lines of evidence. They can use photographic observations of meteorite falls to calculate orbits and project their paths back to the asteroid belt. They can also compare compositional properties of meteorites to the different classes of asteroids.
A meteorite is a rock that originated in outer space and has fallen to the surface of a planet or moon. When the original object enters the atmosphere, various factors such as friction, pressure, and chemical interactions with the atmospheric gases cause it to heat up and radiate energy.
Apr 4, 2024 · There, more than 50,000 years ago, a meteorite weighing about 270,000 metric tons (300,000 tons) slammed into Earth with the force of 2.5 million tons of TNT. The impact blasted a hole one kilometer (0.6 miles) wide and about 230 meters (750 feet) deep.
Jun 13, 2024 · Meteorite, any fairly small natural object from interplanetary space—i.e., a meteoroid—that survives its passage through Earth’s atmosphere and lands on the surface. In modern usage the term is broadly applied to similar objects that land on the surface of other comparatively large bodies.
The majority of meteorite finds are stony meteorites, consisting mostly of silicate minerals. There are two main types of stony meteorite: chondrites (some of the oldest materials in the solar system) and achondrites (including meteorites from asteroids, Mars and the Moon ).
Feb 24, 2017 · Here are some of the biggest space rocks ever to crash into us and survive. Willamette is the largest meteorite ever found in the US, at 7.8 square metres (84 square feet) long and with a weight of 15.5 tonnes (34,000 pounds). American Museum of Natural History.
