meteorites
Fallen celestial stones
Meteorites are rocks from space that survive passage through Earth's atmosphere and reach the ground.
Most originate from asteroids, though some come from the Moon or Mars.
Before landing, they're meteors (the streak of light) or meteoroids (the object in space).
Meteorites are prized by scientists for clues about the solar system's formation: The meteorite contained minerals older than Earth itself.
Sun-orbiting rocky mass
- cometIcy orbiting body
- MarsRed planet, war deity
- VestaGoddess of hearth
- bolideDetonating meteor, very bright
fireball · parent body · solar system · protoplanetary · debris · fragment · ejecta · collision
Element twenty-six
Elemental variant by mass
- radiometric datingAge measurement via atomic decay
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
- petrologyScientific study of rocks
- mineralogyScience of inorganic solids
geochemistry · thin section · mass spectrometer · laboratory · analysis · classification · taxonomy · research
Interstellar particulate matter
- nucleosynthesisAtomic core formation process
- interstellarBetween celestial bodies
- supernovaExploding massive star
- red giantAged star with cooled, expanded envelope
stellar · ancient · grain · diamond · circumstellar
Individual for examination
- hunterPursuer of prey
- dealerOne who sells goods
- auctionCompetitive public sale
- museumPublic exhibit space
catalog · provenance · slice · individual · complete · oriented · rarity · authentication
Saw firsthand
- sonic boomShockwave's audible crack
- airburstExplosion in the atmosphere
- trajectoryPath of moving object
- recoveryRegaining what was lost
Organic compounds forming proteins
- organic compoundsCarbon-containing chemical substances
- panspermiaLife spreads via space rocks
- biosignatureEvidence of living processes
- carbonaceousContaining or composed of carbon
asteroid
Sun-orbiting rocky mass
bolide · fireball · parent body · solar system · protoplanetary · debris · fragment · ejecta · collision · impact
iron
Element twenty-six
- olivineGreen igneous rock mineral
- pyroxeneRock-forming silicate group
- silicateOxygen-bound crystal compound
chondrite · metal · mineral · alloy · crystal · inclusion · matrix
isotope
Elemental variant by mass
- radiometric datingAge measurement via atomic decay
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
- petrologyScientific study of rocks
mineralogy · geochemistry · thin section · mass spectrometer · laboratory · analysis · classification · taxonomy · research
stardust
Interstellar particulate matter
- nucleosynthesisAtomic core formation process
- interstellarBetween celestial bodies
- supernovaExploding massive star
red giant · stellar · ancient · grain · diamond · circumstellar
specimen
Individual for examination
museum · catalog · provenance · slice · individual · complete · oriented · rarity · authentication
witnessed
Saw firsthand
- sonic boomShockwave's audible crack
- airburstExplosion in the atmosphere
- trajectoryPath of moving object
recovery · fresh · oriented · ablation · terminal velocity
amino acids
Organic compounds forming proteins
- organic compoundsCarbon-containing chemical substances
- panspermiaLife spreads via space rocks
- biosignatureEvidence of living processes
Peekskill
Hudson Valley city
- WillamettePacific Northwest river
- space resourceswater ice, helium-3, oxygen, hydrogen, titanium
- museum itemsartifacts, relics, specimens, exhibits, Egyptian artifacts
- natural history museumfossils, dinosaurs, specimens, taxidermy, gemstones
- natural history museumsdioramas, taxidermy, specimens, exhibits, displays
- space rocksasteroid, asteroids, meteoroid, shooting stars, shooting star
- rare thingsdiamonds, gold, pearls, platinum, rubies
meteoritesmeteoroids
Small interplanetary rocky bodies
asteroids · comets · satellites · space stations · planets
meteoritesrockets
Propulsion-driven flying vehicles
spacecraft · space probes · Voyager probes · ballistic missiles · satellites
- meteorite impactsSpace rocks hitting planetary surfaces
- iron meteoriteMetallic body from space