(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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