Bob’s Meteorite Wiki
IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE FOUND A METEORITE, email me first or please send a small, quarter-sized piece for me to examine along with a description and photograph of the entire specimen. If you wish to have the sample returned to you, you must enclose return postage. All non-meteorite samples without return postage are added to the pile outside the back door. If I suspect that your sample is a meteorite, I will contact you by letter and phone, so be sure to enclose your name, address and phone number with all samples.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
Achondrites: Stone meteorites that do not contain visible chondrules.
Amino acid: Large organic molecule - building block of protein
Amphoterite: Obsolete name for LL (low-low iron content) chondrites
Anomalous: Highly unusual, unique, uncategorized
Asteroid: An interplanetary body, of varying size not associated with a fixed orbit
Ataxite: High-nickel content iron meteorite showing no Widmanstatten pattern when etched
B
Bronzite: A silicate mineral with associated iron content of between 10% and 20% - (Mg,Fe)2 Si2O6
C
Carbonado: Carbon that has metamorphosed into its diamond phase but remains black
Chondrites: Stone meteorites that contain chondrules
Chondrules: Small spheres of silicaceous minerals associated with early formation of solar system.
E
Enstatite: Silicate mineral with an associated iron content of 10% or less. Mg2Si2O6
Eucrite: Class of stone meteorite consisting of Ca-pyroxene and plagioclase
F
Fall: Witnessed event of meteorite-dropping fireball
Find: A found piece without associated witnessing of event
Hexahedrite: Six-sided crystal structure found in nickel-iron meteorites
Hypersthene: A silica mineral with associated iron content of between 20% and 30% (Mg,Fe)SiO3
I
Inclusions: Mineral grains that once existed separately but now form an aggregate
K
Kamacite: Nickel-iron alloy (7wt %) phase with body-centered cubic structure
L
Limonite: Oxidized iron; rust
Lodranite: Refers to only the silicated portions of silicated irons - archaic term. Lodranites are a small group of primitive achondrite meteorites that consists of meteoric iron and silicate minerals. Olivine and pyroxene make up most of the silicate minerals. Like all primitive achondrites lodranites share similarities with chondrites and achondrites.
M
Matrix: Base material, surrounding material
Mesosiderite: A class of meteorite; partly stone, partly nickel iron in a melded mixture
Meteor: A meteoroid that has entered Earth’s atmosphere
Meteorite: The remnants of a meteor after it has actually impacted the Earth
Meteoroid: An object in space; similar to but smaller than an asteroid
N
Newman Lines: Fine striations seen in some high-nickel iron meteorites
O
Octahedrite: Eight-sided crystal structure found in nickel-iron meteorites
Olivine: A silicate mineral with the general formula (Mg,Fe)25i04
P
Pallasite: Class of stony-iron meteorite containing crystals of olivine
Plagioclase: A triclinic mineral with the general chemical composition of Al2Si2O8
Pyroxene: One of a number of 5i04 silicate minerals common in meteorites
S
Schreibersite: A phosphide mineral with the formula (Fe,Ni)3P
Silicate: Glassy or stony component made up primarily of the element silicon
Strewnfield: The area over which a meteorite has fallen
Sulfide: Sulfur-containing, as in sulfur-oxide
T
Taenite: Iron alloy with a face-centered crystalline orientation
Tektite: Small glassy bodies caused by the impact of meteorites with the earth’s surface.
Troilite: Stoichiometric iron sulphide, FeS
U
Ureilite: Carbon-rich achondrite meteorites with olivine and pigeonite
W
Widmanstatten: A crystalline pattern seen in iron meteorites after acid etching
IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE FOUND A METEORITE, email me first or please send a small, quarter-sized piece for me to examine along with a description and photograph of the entire specimen. If you wish to have the sample returned to you, you must enclose return postage. All non-meteorite samples without return postage are added to the pile outside the back door. If I suspect that your sample is a meteorite, I will contact you by letter and phone, so be sure to enclose your name, address and phone number with all samples.