Meteorien

Meteorien, also known as meteoroids, are small celestial bodies that travel through the Solar System. They are debris fragments left behind by comets or asteroids, ranging from sub-centimeter dust grains to objects larger than a kilometer. When these particles enter a planet’s atmosphere and are vaporized by friction, they produce a meteor, commonly called a shooting star. The visible streak results from ionization and heat generated by the high-speed impact with atmospheric gases.

Meteors are classified according to their origin and characteristics. Sporadic meteors appear randomly and are often remnants of larger meteoroid streams, while meteor showers arise when Earth passes through a stream of debris from a periodic comet. The Perseids, Geminids, and Leonids are examples of prominent annual showers. Most meteors are harmless, burning up entirely before reaching the surface. However, larger meteoroids that survive atmospheric entry become meteorites, classified into groups such as chondrites, iron, and stony-iron based on their composition.

Meteor observations provide insight into the distribution of small bodies in the Solar System and can inform planetary defense efforts. The Chelyabinsk event in 2013 demonstrated that centimetre‑to‑meter‑size meteoroids can release significant energy, causing airbursts and surface damage. Current research focuses on tracking near‑Earth objects, improving predictive models, and studying the physical properties of meteoroids through both ground‑based telescopes and space missions like NASA’s OSIRIS‑REx.