Meteorites/Space artifacts

The term “shooting star” is commonly known, yet its true nature is often misunderstood. Rather than a star streaking across the sky, it’s actually a meteoroid, a small solid piece, colliding with Earth’s atmosphere. This collision generates friction, heating the surface of the meteoroid and creating a bright flash known as a meteor. If the object survives and lands on Earth, it becomes a meteorite. Occasionally, exceptionally bright meteors are termed fireballs, from which most recoverable meteorites originate. These observed falls contrast with unobserved finds. Meteorites exhibit distinct features such as smooth surfaces, shallow depressions, and black crusts from atmospheric entry. They are categorized into three main types: irons, stones, and stony-irons, all containing extraterrestrial nickel and iron, with rare exceptions.