Meteorite hunting, and how to tell the difference between a space rock and an Earth rock
Astrophysicist Tamara Davis and astrogeologist Gretchen Benedix with a meteorite.(ABC Catalyst.)
Exerpt from ABC Science / By Alice Goodman for Catalyst
Gretchen Benedix, an astrogeologist with the Desert Fireball team, says finding a piece of space rock is thrilling every time.
"You do a little happy dance. But it is absolutely 100 per cent over the moon exciting every single time because it's a rock from space," Professor Benedix says. "It came from space, and it's just so exciting to think, 'oh, where did it come from, what's it going to tell me now?'"
So, what are the chances that you could pick up a piece of space rock?
While meteorites are very rare, they are out there, and it's not impossible you could find one, especially if you know what you're looking for.
Meteors, meteorites, meteoroids?
The names can be a bit confusing: What's an asteroid? A meteorite? A meteoroid?
The best way to be sure you're using the right name is to think of the size and location.
Essentially, asteroids and meteoroids are very old space rocks, orbiting in our solar system, mainly in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
All of the planets, including Earth are the product of those rocks colliding and forming together 4.6 billion years ago.