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Occasionally we have visitors from space. No, we're not talking about aliens or UFOs! Maybe we should call them IFOs - Identified Flying Objects? - because we know what they are... It's only their arrival time that is usually unknown. Meteorites are fascinating objects because we rarely get to hold something in our hands that is not from this world. Scientists examine meteorites to determine the composition. Most have a large iron content, among other metals and minerals. We can estimate their age and their origin. They can tell us a lot about the age and content of our solar system.We've gathered a collection of meteorites (below) which show the types of action that occurs when one of these gems enters our atmosphere. You will see:
- Entire Specimens: These are pieces that fell to the ground "as-is". They were either a sole entry or part of a larger meteorite that broke up on entry in our atmosphere.
- Shrapnel or Slag: These are pieces from a larger meteorite that hit the earth with such force and heat that molten pieces flew from the main body. This is similar to shrapnel from a hand grenade.
- Sliced Specimens: Some meteorites have exquisite patterns or minerals inside. You will see one below which has been sliced and etched with acid to reveal the "Widmanstatten Pattern", a pattern caused by the crystallization of an Fe-Ni melt under conditions of intense heat and pressure.
- Tektites: These glassy objects are caused by a tremendous meteorite impact. At times, very large impacts cause the material on earth (rocks, sand, etc.) to melt and fly off in all directions. Some of it is believed to be propelled with such force as to reach the boundaries of our atmosphere where it cools and forms unusual crystallization patterns not typical of earth material - before falling back to earth far from the impact site.