(meteorobs) Definition of a meteor (was Re: Fifth grade sciencebook)

[MexicoDoug at aol.com]

En un mensaje con fecha 04/27/2005 5:22:03 PM Mexico Daylight Time,  
meteoros at sapo.pt escribe:

>But while it travels in the air, in my 
>opinion it should be  called meteoroid. Its the object that originates 
>the meteor phenomena,  or can originate a meteorite


On the "a little more serious" side, I  would say it is a meteorite during 
the soft landing phase, and loses its  meteoroid classification the moment it 
begins atmospheric entry (even a case for  "switches from solar to terrestrial 
driving orbit" can be made, at which point  it goes from meteoroid to satellite 
to meteor to meteorite...).  If it  doesn't survive, so be it, while it is 
alive as a mass and in contact with Earth  it seems hard to argue that it isn't 
a meteorite to me.  Because the light  indicates it is already in contact with 
Earth, since when is solid the only  phase to define a planet's surface.  I 
suppose then if it lands in an  ocean, it is a meteoroid until it falls on the 
solid bottom by the logic, which  I would disagree with in good conversation - 
or shall we get arbitrary and  accept liquid phase, too .  Some 
micrometeorites probably circulate for  months in the currents...before going into 
solution, and never touch  bottom...
Saludos, Doug