Let's talk meteor showers; a fractured piece of an asteroid or comet which orbits the Sun. Cool right! And when you're finished here, just have a little look at our meteorite selections for more of an understanding on what's out there, right here at THE FOSSIL STORE™.
Upon entering the Earth's atmosphere a Meteor burns creating the effect of a shooting star better known as Meteoroids which reach the Earth's surface. Sometimes these Meteoroids burn out into dust particles as they hit the atmosphere.
The friction caused by air particles creates extreme temperatures of 1,648 degrees celsius, this intense heat vaporises most Meteors causing the glow leaving trails in the skies seen from the ground. Sometimes they don’t disintegrate, falling to the Earth's surface, and becoming known as Meteorites.
Origin of METEORITES
Large pieces of Meteors break from their asteroids in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, weighing anything up to 60 tons and reaching speeds of 30,000 MPH. These Meteors are made up of minerals rich in silicon and oxygen, although consist mainly of iron and nickel. Scientists believe 1,000 to 10,000 tons or more (some speculate this is in the region of 44 tons) of Meteor material falls on Earth every day, mostly dust particles according to Nasa who confirm they pose no threat to Earth or its atmosphere.
Halley's Comet is one of the most anticipated sightings by Meteor fans, although you'll have to wait a few decades for the next display. Halley last entered the inner Solar System in early 1986 but will orbit closer to the sun on 28th of July 2061, taking around 76 years to make a complete revolution around the Sun. There's several Meteor showers each year with the next coming up soon.
The Leonid Meteor shower is best seen on November the 17th and 18th, so make sure to add these dates to your diaries. These can travel approximately 41 miles per second but can only be seen on a clear night with a persistent long trail. The impact from a Meteorite of 164 feet in diameter caused a crater 1 kilometre wide in Arizona 50,000 years ago; now known as the Barringer Meteorite crater.
Sixty-five million years ago an object, possibly a comet a few times larger than the one landed on by the Philae probe, struck the Mexican coast triggering a global winter that wiped out the dinosaurs and don't forget you can see some dinosaur fossils that are for sale right here at THE FOSSIL STORE™. In 1908, a smaller Meteor hit a remote part of Siberia devastating hundreds of square miles of forest. Over 100 scientists including Lord Martin Rees, the Astronomer Royal, called for the creation of a global warning system to alert us if a threatening asteroid or Meteor is in direct alignment for another collision with Earth.
The probability is remote however one day there will be another collision. There has never been a strike large enough to wipe out all life on Earth for at least three billion years, protocol has named such an event the “Extinction Level Event”. But a dinosaur-killer would certainly be the end of civilisation as we know it.
Trending METEORITES For Sale
Meteorites are impacting right here at THE FOSSIL STORE™. These are by far one of our favourite items and as our customers, fellow Meteorite enthusiasts, we hope you too will testify and be enthralled by NWA Meteorites.
Alien rocks have plummeted to earth at speeds upwards of 250,000 kph and upon entering our atmospheres slow to speeds of around 50,000 kph. These rocks cause fusion crusts, which is typical of foreign bodies reaching the tremendous temperatures of up to sixteen and seventeen hundred degrees temperature.
From the isotopic composition of these fallen invaders science can determine, in a very small proportion, where the journey of individual Meteorites began.
Lunar Meteorites (lunettes) and Martian Meteorites (SNCs) have been studied by man. Samples taken from the rocks of the surfaces of each has allowed for identification of the compositional elements. Looking for a piece of nebula? As Asteroid fallen from space?
A stoney iron Meteorite rock, termed a Chondrite, which has violently impacted into our planet melting as it crashed through our stratosphere? We can only advise... you're in the right place!
Welcome to a showcase of collective Meteorites, excavated from North Africa and presented by our team. The Sahara Desert is an ideal place to hunt for superior Meteorites. The blackened Chondrite and stony iron Meteorites are camouflaged by millions of desert rocks. These flat open spaces provide a canvas of opportunity to an experienced eye. Some of the best Chondrite falls have passed through to us and are available at THE FOSSIL STORE™. Be astounded at space rock authenticated and with the guarantee to surprise and delight.
Shop the Meteorite look
Collected by the indigenous Berbers and nomads of the Western Sahara Desert, these time capsules of a heavy solid mass, molecules of our Solar System, show characteristic signs of a molten entry surface.
Once on its terrestrial landing surface these space rocks become polished by the desert winds over eons on earth, creating the desert varnish so typical of Meteorites found in the region of North Africa. This surface is the patina, providing a history or story on our planet, something born from time and weather.
The types of Meteorite we find in North Africa are Chondrites, Achondrites and Pallasites; the most alluring of all Meteorites. Pallasites consist of a nickel-iron particle matrix packed with olivine crystals. When cut and polished these create wonderful olivine panes likened to stained glass windows.
To view these wonders of the universe visit our Meteorite page and read more about Chondrites in our news posts. Welcome to the Meteorite club!
