Meteoroids and Meteorites
- Meteoriods are derived from Apollo asteroids, which have irregular orbits.
- The nearest approach to the Sun is near Earth's orbit.
- They are referred to as "Earth-Grazers."
- The farthest extend of their orbits is near the
Asteroid Belt.
- Meteorites are Meteoroids which actually impact with Earth.
- Many burn up in Earth's atmosphere.
- Larger bodies survive the atmosphere and crash into the planet.
- Most of thes impacts may have occurred over the oceans or poles, leaving behind little or no historic record.
- A few are well known, as the famous 1908 Meteorite which leveled 18 miles of trees in Siberia.
- There is a greater chance that a meteorite would strike the ocean than any of the continents.
- For more information on origins of Meteoroids and Meteorites visit:
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