Quoted from the solarsystem.nasa.gov page, Sunday (1/5/2022), meteoroids are objects in outer space whose sizes range from dust grains to small asteroids. This term only applies when they are in space, so they are generally known as “space rocks”.
When a meteoroid enters the atmosphere of Earth (or another planet, such as Mars) at high speed and burns up, a fireball or “shooting star” is called a meteor. Sometimes a meteor can even appear brighter than Venus, which is when we call it a “fireball”.
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Scientists estimate that about 48.5 tons (44,000 kilograms) of meteorite material fall to Earth every day. When a meteoroid survives its passage through the atmosphere and hits the ground, it is called a meteorite.
An asteroid is a small rocky object that orbits the sun. Although asteroids orbit the sun like planets, they are much smaller than planets. Some asteroids have orbits that are more eccentric, and slightly pass close to Earth or enter the atmosphere as meteors.
Asteroids are also known as planetoids or minor planets. There are millions of asteroids, ranging in size from hundreds of miles to several feet. In total, the mass of all asteroids is less than the mass of Earth’s moon.
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Regardless of their size, asteroids can be dangerous. Many have hit Earth in the past, and many more will hit our planet in the future. That’s one reason scientists study asteroids and want to learn more about their numbers, orbits, and physical characteristics. If an asteroid is heading our way, we want to know.
(wib)
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