Meteoroid: Impressive Solar System Facts Explained For Kids

Sakshi Thakur
Oct 31, 2022 By Sakshi Thakur
Originally Published on Jan 06, 2022
Fact-checked by Pratiti Nath
Have you witnessed a shooting star? Then you must be wondering what it is. Know all about a meteoroid here.
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Age: 3-18
Read time: 7.5 Min

You must have seen or heard about a shooting star.

Have you wondered what it is? There are rocks from space called meteoroids.

When the meteoroid stream comes towards the earth's orbit and enters the earth's atmosphere, you can see the meteor flare. This is basically the meteor trail formed is due to the burning of the cosmic dust or particles of the meteor with oxygen.

Peekskill meteorite started in the year 1992. This is was the bright streak that was witnessed by many. There is so much recorded proof of this event. The meteorite burnt and reached Peekskill in the USA. A meteorite is made up of solid objects like iron and nickel. There are also small particles that fly away burning and appearing green.

Most meteors comprise interplanetary dust. These completely burn even before they reach the earth's surface. So there are lesser chances of energetic collisions. But if large stony meteoroids enter the earth they look like a falling star. We shall be able to see a ball of fire advancing towards the earth. There will be a site for collision and there can be loads of damage.

What Is A Meteoroid, With Example

The simpler name of a meteoroid is a space rock. There can be a variation in size.

The small fine meteoric dust to stone size. There is no fixed range or direction of solid object moving. Bright meteors were observed in the night sky in Sudan. Later in the Nubian desert of Sudan, NASA astronomers found an asteroid meteorite. NASA studies meteors and all the shooting stars.

Meteor showers are usually when larger bodies break off into smaller ones. Meteor radars use radio waves or electromagnetic radiation to study specific meteors. When the atmospheric density is high and there is higher oxygen concentration, meteors burn.

There can be event accidents when satellites in the retrograde orbit collide with a meteor. When the earth passes through an asteroid belt such an event is bound to happen. There can be comets, meteors, and meteoroids. These can be coming from far-off planets or so. There is no fixed origin of these meteor showers.

When meteoroids enter the earth's atmosphere of any planet they burn due to high speed. On earth, we call them shooting stars. They may seem to be brighter than other stars, they have also been referred to as fireballs.

An amazing fact is that 48.5 tons (44000 kg) of interplanetary dust enters the earth's atmosphere. When such a meteorite is able to survive through the layer, then it makes an impact on the earth. This is called a meteoroid.

Origin Of Meteoroid

When asteroids collide smaller particles are formed. They are called meteoroids.

When comets pass through the atmosphere of the earth and burn, they leave behind a trail. This trail or meteor shower may remain in the atmosphere of the earth. While a few believe that the meteors are formed due to the falling meteor dust particles from other planets. It can come from the moon too.

There are other similar objects in the universe like fireballs. These are bright meteors. There are no fixed events of the formation of these meteoroids. All the meteoroids are made of particles from our own solar system. they are fragments of asteroids that are flying here and there.

The asteroid belt is located in between the planets Mars and Jupiter. These have been orbiting the earth for millions of years. Meteorites are very huge at times. The biggest meteorite found on earth had been over 60 tons in weight. There are smaller asteroids as well that have been found on earth. You can compare it with the smaller pebbles. they are also called meteoric dust.

Meteorites are known to be Ancient celestial bodies. They have been the source of information regarding the solar system. The history of our solar system has become clear to us humans due to the study of these meteorites. The impact of such large meteorites or metallic asteroids has altered the history of humans and the earth.

Meteor is not your imagination. Know more about comets and meteoroids here.

Difference Between Meteoroids And Asteroids

A smaller size rocky object that is orbiting the sun, but is not a planet or a moon.

It can be called an asteroid. Asteroids are larger than meteoroids but very small when compared to planets. This is further called a comet when it starts to burn. You can see a steak of light behind this. The event is very clear in a clear sky. It is better at night than in the day.

Asteroids are majorly found in the Asteroid belt. This belt is between Mars and Jupiter. They are mini planets and orbit the sun just like the planets. These are not stars, just rocky or metallic asteroids. These are leftovers from planets. But they do not have evidence of any atmosphere around them. The asteroids orbit is mostly elliptical.

And when these asteroids collide with each other the result is smaller pieces. These smaller pieces are then called meteorites. They can come from icy comets when they enter our atmosphere. It can simply become just meteor dust.

In the universe, the Sun is orbited by an infinite number of things. Asteroids and meteoroids are celestial bodies that have a few traits in common, such as circling the Sun and staying near planets. An asteroid, on the other hand, is a tiny rock, metal, or carbon-based object. The remnant of the solar system is thought to be an asteroid. A meteoroid, on the other hand, is a tiny fragment of a comet or asteroid that has been separated or detached by chance.

Minor planets in the inner solar system are referred to as asteroids. The asteroid belt contains millions of asteroids. The asteroid belt, which lies between Jupiter and Mars, contains around 750,000 objects. Asteroids can be hundreds of km wide. The majority of asteroids are formed of rocks, however, a new study has discovered that certain asteroids are built of iron and nickel.

Asteroids have no atmosphere, although they do have gravitational pull due to their massive size. Experts estimate that just a few asteroids have one or two partner moons and that two asteroids of similar size orbit each other.

A meteoroid, on the other hand, is a tiny metal rock that falls from the sky. They are much smaller than asteroids, measuring between an mm and a meter in diameter. When meteoroids enter Earth's atmosphere, they evaporate and may never make it to the surface. They burn and leave a faint trail as they descend. Meteoroids are generally harmless, although bigger meteors have a tendency to burst in the atmosphere, causing shock waves and other issues.

To put it simply, the distinction between asteroids and meteoroids is determined by their position. Space is full of asteroids. It is referred to as a meteor when it enters the atmosphere, and a meteorite when it lands on the earth. Rocks and minerals are the basic components of all items.

Difference Between Meteoroid and Meteor

A meteoroid that gets close enough to Earth and enters the atmosphere vaporizes and becomes a streak of light in the sky.

These light streaks are commonly referred to as shooting stars because of their appearance. Meteors, on the other hand, are not stars.

When two asteroids collide, a little chunk of each asteroid breaks off. A meteorite is made up of fragments from asteroids that have collided. Meteorites are thought to come from the asteroid belt that lies between Mars and Jupiter. A meteorite's size can range from a few hundredths of a gram to many tonnes.

When a meteorite collides with the earth's atmosphere, it does so at a high velocity, giving it the appearance of a fireball. As a result, shooting stars are meteors rather than stars. Meteors are classified into several categories based on their size.

Types of Meteors:

Earth grazers are meteors with the longest and most colorful tails that streak close to the horizon. The most notable earth grazer was the Great Daylight Fireball of 1972.

The most common type of meteor is a fireball, which is brighter and lasts longer than earth grazers. They might be as big as a basketball or as small as a small vehicle.

Bolides are larger than fireballs and most of the time they erupt in the atmosphere. As they emit a sonic boom, their explosion may be heard and felt on the ground.

We can only see a few meteors during a meteor shower, and the sky appears to be filled with fireworks. When a meteor shower occurs, we can see that the entire shower originates from one point, which is known as the radiant point. Showers of meteors are named after constellations. The Leonid meteor shower is the most well-known meteor shower named after a constellation. The shower appears to be coming from the constellation, but the comet Tempel-Tuttle is the source.

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Written by Sakshi Thakur

Bachelor of Science

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Sakshi ThakurBachelor of Science

Sakshi is a skilled content writer with extensive experience in the education industry. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for helping others, she has developed a reputation for excellence in academic content writing. She has worked with esteemed professionals such as Mr. Kapil Raj, a professor of History of Science at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Paris, further enhancing her knowledge and expertise. Sakshi is well-versed in the latest developments in e-learning and has a deep understanding of how to engage students and make learning fun and accessible. In her spare time, she indulges in her creative passions, including painting, embroidery, and listening to soft music. She also enjoys exploring new cultures and traveling, which helps her broaden her perspectives and inspire her writing. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Science from Panjab University.

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