Asteroids, Comets, and Meteors: A Guide to Space Rocks in the Night Sky
A piece of the Campo del Cielo meteorite. (image credit: Carlos Zito)
Post Author - Peter Bashaw
Across the solar system, there are trillions of pieces of rocky debris leftover from the formation of the sun and our planets. These space rocks have many different names that are mistakenly used interchangeably, so if you’ve ever wondered what’s a meteoroid and what’s a meteorite, or the difference between an asteroid and a comet, we'll clue you in!
Asteroids are rocky objects that make up the asteroid belt between the four inner terrestrial planets and the four outer gas giants. The difference between an asteroid and a meteoroid is a question of size, with anything smaller than one meter in diameter being a meteoroid. Asteroids on the other hand can be very large, with the largest being the dwarf planet Ceres with a diameter of 940 kilometers.
When a meteoroid falls to Earth, friction from the atmosphere produces light and heat. This is what we call a meteor. Seen at night, we might call this a shooting star, or if it’s particularly intense a fireball. Air resistance usually breaks up meteoroids as they fall, scattering their pieces across a strewn field. The material that makes it to the Earth’s surface is called a meteorite.
Comets are an entirely different kettle of fish. These space rocks have a core of material from the solar system’s formation and are surrounded by a layer of dust and ice. Unlike asteroids, they follow their own orbits around the sun. If gravitational forces draw them to the sun, the ice begins to vaporize and leak through the comet’s crust in jets. This produces a cloud of dust and ice around the comet called a coma, as well as a tail of material that can stretch across millions of kilometers.
Looking for some hands-on experience with space rocks? Lucky for you we have plenty in our Meteorite Collection...
Read More
Featured Product
Dracula's Castle Soil Coffin - Display Card 🦇
Latest News
-
Oct 09, 2025 Scientists Discover First Fossilized Leech! Read More -
Oct 01, 2025 Researchers Recreate Dinosaur Sounds Using Bizarre Instrument! Read More -
Sep 19, 2025 The House that Ruth Built: The Story of the Old Yankee Stadium Read More -
Sep 17, 2025 The Queen of the Skies: the Story of the Boeing 747 Read More -
Sep 11, 2025 Vader’s Lightsaber Becomes the Most Expensive Star Wars Collectible! Read More -
Aug 28, 2025 Learn About the Tiny Aircraft That Turn Sunlight Into Flight! Read More
Cool Things!
Scientists Discover First Fossilized Leech!
Halloween Season is officially upon us, and with that, we present a chilling tale of an ancient, blood-sucking fiend: the leech. The subject of many swimmers’ worst nightmare, a recent study suggests the leech may be millions of years older than originally presumed, and may not have sucked blood.
Researchers Recreate Dinosaur Sounds Using Bizarre Instrument!
Since the first discoveries of dinosaur fossils, much attention has been paid to their physical characteristics; what they looked like. Did they have feathers, scales or both? How did they walk, on two legs or four? So on and so forth. A recent project aims to shed light on another aspect of how dinosaurs were perceived - their sounds!
Vader’s Lightsaber Becomes the Most Expensive Star Wars Collectible!
Last Thursday, an auction set a new record for Star Wars memorabilia, when a screen-used prop of Darth Vader’s lightsaber sold for over $3.6 million.
Specimen Deep Dives
The House that Ruth Built: The Story of the Old Yankee Stadium
The Queen of the Skies: the Story of the Boeing 747
Old Ironsides: The USS Constitution and the Start of the U.S. Navy
Long Form Articles
The Artist Behind the Macintosh: Susan Kare and Apple Computers
While the two Steves, Jobs and Wozniak, are the most well known faces behind Apple computers, equally important to the products and culture of the company were those who crafted the experience of using their computers through design. The most notable of these visual architects was Susan Kare, a designer responsible for “humanizing” Macintosh computers.
Can I Lick It? Yes You Can!
Have you ever been unable to tell if a fossil was really a fossil, but you were too embarrassed to admit it? Have you ever wanted to lick a fossil just because, but you didn’t want to risk judgment from your peers? Well, good news! You can kill two birds with one stone! Licking a fossil can actually help you determine if it’s the real deal or just another rock.
Is It Legal To Own a Meteorite: How to Start Your Outer Space Collection!
Meteorites are some of the rarest geological specimens to be found on Earth. Of course, since these stones are not of our world, purchasing them can sometimes be a confusing process. Is it legal to own a meteorite? In short, yes! Read on for help starting your cosmic collection!