Meteorite

A Scarce remnant of Prehistoric (2000 - 4000 B.C.) Meteorite Rock from Campo Del Cielo, Argentina, discovered in the 16th Century.

A Meteorite is a solid piece of debris from an object, such as a comet, asteroid, or meteoroid, that originates in outer space and survives its passage through the Earth's atmosphere and impact with the earth's surface or that of another planet. When the object enters the atmosphere, various factors like friction, pressure, and chemical interactions with the atmospheric gasses cause it to heat up and radiate that energy. It then becomes a meteor and forms a fireball, also known as a Shooting/Falling Star. 

Astronomers call the brightest examples "bolides" Meteorites that survive atmospheric entry and impact vary greatly in size. For geologists, a bolide is a meteorite large enough to create a crater. Meteor impacts on the moon or Mars can eject surface material into space that ends up on Earth. 

Last year a 10.5-ounce meteorite that originated on Mars fetched $94,000. A 4-pound lunar meteorite, the most expensive ever auctioned, sold for $330,000 in 2012.

Click Here - To see our example of a Meteorite