Facts about Meteoroids
Location: A meteoroid is matter revolving around the sun or any object in interplanetary space that is too small to be called an asteroid or a comet. Even smaller particles are called micrometeoroids or cosmic dust grains, which includes any interstellar material that should happen to enter our solar system. Meteoroids travel around the sun in various orbits. Meteoroids are the only objects that are classified as floating around in outer space.
Size: They range in size from dust to around 10 metres in diameter (larger objects are usually referred to as asteroids). A large meteoroid would be considered a small asteroid.
Temperature: Depends mainly on the distance from the Sun. Other variables that need to be considered are whether it is in sunlight or shade, and whether or not it is passing through an atmosphere. Temperatures can range from -170 degrees Centigrade to 517 degrees Centigrade or even higher.
Appearance: To the naked eye meteoroids appear like a streak in the sky (ie. shooting stars). Up close a meteoroid has the same appearance as an asteroid (defined as space debris, rock or any particle) however it is the size that classifies it as a meteoroid rather than its components. It is a chunk or piece of an asteroid.
Size: They range in size from dust to around 10 metres in diameter (larger objects are usually referred to as asteroids). A large meteoroid would be considered a small asteroid.
Temperature: Depends mainly on the distance from the Sun. Other variables that need to be considered are whether it is in sunlight or shade, and whether or not it is passing through an atmosphere. Temperatures can range from -170 degrees Centigrade to 517 degrees Centigrade or even higher.
Appearance: To the naked eye meteoroids appear like a streak in the sky (ie. shooting stars). Up close a meteoroid has the same appearance as an asteroid (defined as space debris, rock or any particle) however it is the size that classifies it as a meteoroid rather than its components. It is a chunk or piece of an asteroid.