Meteorites

Shooting stars are meteorites.

Every day, meteorites fall to the Earth.

Tom collects meteorites.

Tom travels the world looking for meteorites.

Some of the meteorites found on Earth are actually pieces of the planet Mars. As of June 2006, thirty-four "Martian meteorites" have been found.

Scientists believe that the particles in Saturn's rings came from the destruction of moons circling the planet. As comets and meteorites smashed the moons, Saturn's gravitational pull shaped the particles into rings.

Over 100 meteorites hit the Earth each year. Fortunately, most of them are very small.

Fries is part of the latest exploration team searching for meteorites.

A glowing-hot meteoroid entering Earth's atmosphere is called a meteor; those meteor fragments which reach Earth's surface are meteorites. Small meteors are also known as shooting stars, while large ones are called bolides or fireballs.

The meteorites have lain undisturbed there for many years.