bolides
Bright celestial streaks
Bolides are exceptionally bright meteors—fireballs that streak across the sky, often fragmenting or exploding as they pass through the atmosphere.
The term comes from a Greek word for missile or javelin.
Bolides are bright enough to cast shadows and may produce audible sonic booms.
Some survive to reach the ground as meteorites.
Icy orbiting body
- meteoroidSmall body in space
- orbitCurved celestial path
- trajectoryPath of moving object
- velocityDirected rate of motion
celestial · cosmic · space · solar system · astronomy · telescope · observation · meteor shower
Luminous meteor or explosion
- meteorGlowing atmospheric space rock
- shooting starBurning debris in atmosphere
- streakUnbroken series
- flashBrief burst of light
blaze · flare · glow · trail · luminous · brilliant · incandescent · radiant
Impact or volcanic basin
- impactForceful contact or consequence
- collisionForceful contact between objects
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
- airburstExplosion in the atmosphere
debris · ejecta · impactor · kinetic energy · ground zero · devastation
Meteorite containing round grains
- stony-ironMeteorite with both components
- carbonaceousContaining or composed of carbon
- ablationRemoval by cutting, melting
- micrometeoriteMinute extraterrestrial surface grain
cosmic dust · mineral · olivine · pyroxene
comet
Icy orbiting body
- meteoroidSmall body in space
- orbitCurved celestial path
- trajectoryPath of moving object
velocity · celestial · cosmic · space · solar system · astronomy · telescope · observation · meteor shower · sporadic
fireball
Luminous meteor or explosion
- meteorGlowing atmospheric space rock
- shooting starBurning debris in atmosphere
- streakUnbroken series
flash · blaze · flare · glow · trail · luminous · brilliant · incandescent · radiant · spectacle
crater
Impact or volcanic basin
- impactForceful contact or consequence
- collisionForceful contact between objects
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
airburst · debris · ejecta · impactor · kinetic energy · ground zero · devastation
chondrite
Meteorite containing round grains
- stony-ironMeteorite with both components
- carbonaceousContaining or composed of carbon
- ablationRemoval by cutting, melting
micrometeorite · cosmic dust · mineral · olivine · pyroxene