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What are Meteorites? Meteorites - Precious Celestial Wonders For centuries meteorites have captured the imagination of man. In fact, throughout history "shooting stars" have been considered magical, sacred and mysterious. The Eqyptians often buried meteorites with their dead, a very sacred honor. They also forged tools from their "heavenly iron". In 1492 the residents of Alsatian (currently French) town of Ensisheim recovered a meteorite that remains enshrined in their church to this day. Another meteorite is displayed in the Suga Jinja Shinto Shrine in Nogata, Japan and has been kept as a treasure there for more than a thousand years. Many of you have visited museums and have observed their collections of meteorites. Just looking at these peculiar visitors from outer space is enough to trigger the imagination and to conjure up questions about their origin and journey they took to reach the earth. Where did these "rocks" come from? What are they made of? What do they tell us about our universe? Imagine holding a stone that traveled billions of miles through space. One that may have originally been part of the planet Mars! Or, part of an asteroid! Or, even part of an unknown body in another galaxy! What is a meteorite? What do meteorites look like? Why are meteorites sliced and polished? Are there different types of meteorites? Stone Meteorites Iron Meteorites Stony-Iron Meteorites Tektites Why the Study of Meteorites is Important What is a meteorite? Meteorites are unique particles of rocks, nickel-iron metal and mixtures of the two that come from outer space and reach the earth's surface. They may have traveled from the distant reaches of the solar system or even beyond. Most meteors, or "shooting stars," burn up in our atmosphere before reaching the ground. Only a few rare specimens actually land on the earth and earn the name meteorite. Furthermore, only a tiny portion of the meteorites that fall to earth is recovered. In fact, it is possible that millions of meteorites have struck the earth during its history, yet we have samples of less that 3000 falls. That's because meteorites fall unpredictably, and their fall is seldom physically witnessed. In addition, most fall into the oceans or on to land that is densely covered by vegetation, which makes recovery nearly impossible. The few specimens that are finally recovered can really be considered the "rarest material on earth." Like rare gems, meteorites are expensive and difficult to discover. Some are found by accident. Others are seen as they make their descent to earth. Their unique beauty is unmatched by any terrestrial material. In fact, some substances found in the chemical composition of meteorites are not found anywhere on this planet. Since so few meteorites actually reach the earth №s surface and earn the name "meteorite," the supply is limited. Most find their way into museums and laboratories for study and display, and very few are available to private collectors. Meteorites are named after the place or locality where they fall to earth or where they are found. For instance, they could be named for a city or local geographical feature.

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