(meteorobs) Definition of a meteor (was Re: Fifth grade sciencebook)
John Kuehn
jkuehn8 at comcast.net
Thu Apr 28 15:35:22 EDT 2005
As a sub note I would imply that there is a hierarchy in the form of
Meteoroid - Meteor - Meteorite
The following two are requirements
a Meteorite must have been a meteor and meteoroid
a meteor must have been a meteoroid
The following three are possibilities
a meteoroid MAY become a meteor
a Meteor MAY become a Meteorite
a meteorite MAY be recovered
John Kuehn wrote:
> Human intervention, I.e. modification or transportation, would
> preclude it from the aforementioned 'NATURAL' category.
> A space turd is still a space turd if brought back intact. but, let
> it fall naturally, and only then it could be considered a meteor.
> If in daylight you were lucky enough to see a natural falling rock
> during the non ablative /dark period, I would still contend that is
> still is a meteor
>
> Unless the definition of meteor expressly REQUIRES that the object be
> self exo- luminescent. Then I would have to ask at what wavelength and
> what level above ambient ..... The nits... and the nitwits, their
> everywhere.
>
> I would imply that, it is the MOTION that is inferred by the term
> meteor and that it has an additional characteristic in that it MAY
> emit light during its meteoric fall to earth.
>
> I would leave it to the experts/nit pickers to specify EXACTLY what
> point the non captured, free flying, meteoroid's orbit becomes
> entangled by the geo- gravitational field and commences it's Meteoric
> fall to earth, with all of the possible dark and light segments of
> that journey. Until it subsequently comes in contact with the ground,
> stopping the motion and changing it's status to the earth borne form
> named METEORITE.
>
> If standing or lying on the earth and are struck by a non luminescent
> natural falling object, would you say you have been struck by a
> meteor, meteorite, or meteoroid or just ouch?
>
> IMHO
>
> But then again.... maybe not.
>
> GeoZay at aol.com wrote:
>
>>
>>
>>
>>>> 1. Any natural extraterrestrial object that has touched the earth
>>>> is
>>>
>> considered a METEORITE<<
>>
>>
>> So, if one of the moon rocks brought back to earth by the apollo
>> astronauts is dropped...you'd call it a meteorite? :O)
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>> 2. Any natural object in free space that is smaller than an
>>>> asteroid is
>>>
>> considered a METEOROID<<
>>
>> Pretty much so.
>>
>>
>>
>>>> The contention seems to be during the fall to earth.
>>>>
>>>
>> When during this atmospheric, ablative period, and post luminescent
>> /dark period is it proper to use the generic terminology and call
>> it a METEOR?<<
>>
>> During this dark period, there will be no ablation...it's too slow
>> for that. and to say that a meteor is post luminescent doesn't make
>> any sense either. Since a meteor is the light phenomenon
>> itself...not the object. During the objects dark phase, there's no
>> longer a meteor present.
>> GeoZay
>>
>>
>>
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>>
>>
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