meteor or meteorite or meteoroid

A chunk of rock out in space is a “meteoroid.” If it plummets down through the earth’s atmosphere, the resulting streak of light is called a “meteor.” And if it lands on the ground, the chunk of stone is called a “meteorite.”Don’t confuse meteors with comets, which are masses of ice and dust whose tails are produced not inside our atmosphere, but out in space. When a comet gets too close to the Sun its warmth and the pressure of the solar wind cause some of the comet to evaporate and stream out to form a tail.

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Definitions

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• n  (astronomy) any of the small solid extraterrestrial bodies that hits the earth's atmosphere
• n  a streak of light in the sky at night that results when a meteoroid hits the earth's atmosphere and air friction causes the meteoroid to melt or vaporize or explode

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• n  stony or metallic object that is the remains of a meteoroid that has reached the earth's surface

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• n  (astronomy) any of the small solid extraterrestrial bodies that hits the earth's atmosphere

News & Articles

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• Mystery meteor shower disappoints skywatchers, but wait till next year
  Skywatchers were hoping for a fireworks show from the Gamma Delphinid meteor shower early Tuesday, but what they got were merely a few snaps, crackles and pops. That's not totally surprising, because some experts said in advance they weren't sure whether the meteor shower actually existed."I think it exists," Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office told NBC News, "but there was ...
  June 12, 2013 - NBC NEWS
• Mystery meteor shower disappoints skywatchers, but wait till next year
  Skywatchers were hoping for a fireworks show from the Gamma Delphinid meteor shower early Tuesday, but what they got were merely a few snaps, crackles and pops. That's not totally surprising, because some experts said in advance they weren't sure whether the meteor shower actually existed."I think it exists," Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office told NBC News, "but there was ...
  June 12, 2013 - NBC NEWS
• Gamma Delphinids meteor shower: Back tonight, after 83 years? (+video)
  Gamma Delphinids: A rare meteor shower not seen since 1930 is expected to burst onto our skies late Tuesday night. When and where to watch the gamma Delphinds
  June 11, 2013 - The Christian Science Monitor

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• Following Successful Spacefest, Geoff Notkin Heads to Challenger Space Center, Lowell Observatory
  Geoff Notkin, star of TV’s Meteorite Men, is following up a stellar appearance at Spacefest V over Memorial Day weekend with two special events in Arizona during the month of June. Notkin was one of the most in-demand celebrities at Spacefest V, an annual gathering of renowned astronauts, scientists and space artists held in Tucson, Arizona. During the event, he joined a panel discussion on the ...
  June 13, 2013 - PR.com
• Following Successful Spacefest, Geoff Notkin Heads to Challenger Space Center, Lowell Observatory
  Geoff Notkin, star of TV’s Meteorite Men, is following up a stellar appearance at Spacefest V over Memorial Day weekend with two special events in Arizona during the month of June. Notkin was one of the most in-demand celebrities at Spacefest V, an annual gathering of renowned astronauts, scientists and space artists held in Tucson, Arizona. During the event, he joined a panel discussion on the ...
  June 13, 2013 - PR.com
• Martian Meteorite Contains Key Building Block Of Early Life
  Rebekah Eliason for redOrbit.com - Your Universe Online A Martian meteorite discovered in Antarctica was found to contain some of the early building blocks of life. The Antarctic Search for Meteorites ( ANSMET ) team discovered that this meteorite was clearly of Martian origin during its 2009-2010 field season. Contamination from the earth was ruled out and the meteorite was sent to the ...
  June 12, 2013 - redOrbit

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• Perseids meteor shower to grace the sky this weekend
  When John Denver sang about seeing it rain fire in the sky in the Rocky Mountains, he was referencing the Perseid meteor shower, which will grace the skies through the weekend, peaking on the night of Aug. 12. The Perseids, the meteoroids of which come from a trail left by the Swift-Tuttle comet, generally produce one of the best meteor showers of the year, and often produce the most fireballs ...
  Aug. 10, 2013 - The Salt Lake Tribune
• Meteor shower to grace the sky this weekend
  When John Denver sang about seeing it rain fire in the sky in the Rocky Mountains, he was referencing the Perseid meteor shower, which will grace the skies through the weekend, peaking on the night of Aug. 12. The Perseids, the meteoroids of which come from a trail left by the Swift-Tuttle comet, generally produce one of the best meteor showers of the year, and often produce the most fireballs ...
  Aug. 10, 2013 - The Salt Lake Tribune
• NASA says to get ready for Perseid Fireballs
  New research from NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office identifies the Perseids as the "fireball champion" of annual meteor showers. This year's Perseid display peaks on August 12th and 13th.
  Aug. 5, 2013 - CBS 6 Richmond