0
There are eight or nine known meteor showers each year, and astronomers occasionally "discover" new ones - like the one that MIGHT, MAYBE, PERHAPS happen tonight (May 24, 2014).
Meteor "showers" happen when the Earth passes through, or near, the orbits of old comets. When the comet comes near the Sun, the Sun's light and heat cause the icy head of the comet to vaporize a little. The gas, spreading out from the frozen head of the comet, carries away some of the dust. A comet is similar to a "dirty snowball"; the dust is blown away from the comet, which forms the "tail" of the comet.
Pass after pass, the dust spreads out to eventually fill the entire orbital path of the comet. Eventually, the comet will disintegrate completely, and the dust trail will be the only thing left.
But if the orbital trail comes close to the Earth's orbital path, then every year the Earth will pass through the trail, and we'll have a "shower" of meteors. Most meteors are caused by stuff the size of a grain of sand, and perhaps as big as a grain of rice, so we're in no danger from them.
The Earth moves in the direction of sunrise; the sunrise is "front" and the sunset line is "behind", so you'll see more and better meteors between about 2AM and dawn.
Wiki User
∙ 9y ago
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoAbout 10 million hit Earth every hour so I am just going to say a lot.
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoThere are at least 100 meteor showers that are known to scientists. There are at least 20 that happen every year that can be seen from Earth.
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoNo, they can occur several times a year, not just twice.
Wiki User
∙ 16y agoNone. Just the moon.
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
Is it true that only three or four meteorites reach earths surface each year?
No it is not true. Many, many meteorites reach the earth's surface.
Why are there so many meteorites near earth?
There are hardly any comets, meteorites or asteroids near earth. There are only a few that are millions of kilometers from earth. There are a few that pass earth a bit closer because of the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
How many basketball-sized meteorites land on earth in a year?
Probably many thousand such meteoroids strike the Earth's atmosphere per year, but only a tiny percentage make it through the atmosphere to land on the Earth. And since the Earth is 3/4 water, we figure that about 75% of all meteorites hit the ocean and sink.
Is The composition of Earth's core is thought to be the same as the composition of many meteorites?
Yes, this is because many meteorites derive from bodies that formed and differentiated (like the Earth) early on in the formation of the solar system but were then shattered by impacts, exposing their core material. This material is thought to be an analogue for the composition of Earth's interior.
How many meteors have struck the Earth in the last 300 years?
Immpossible to say. Many millions, mostly very small, strike the earth each yesr.
Is it true that only three or four meteorites reach earths surface each year?
No it is not true. Many, many meteorites reach the earth's surface.
How many meteorites have miss the earth from crashing?
500 meteorites have missed the earth from crashing
Meteorites are thought to be analogous in composition to Earth's core?
There are many different compositions of meteorites. The meteorites that are thought to be analogous in composition to the Earth's core are made of iron.
Why do you think the Earth does not have as many meteorites as the moon?
because it caused crater
What are the effects of meteorites on the earth positively?
The best positive effect is that we get many metals from meteorites and some non metals. We specially get iron mostly.
Why are there so many meteorites near earth?
There are hardly any comets, meteorites or asteroids near earth. There are only a few that are millions of kilometers from earth. There are a few that pass earth a bit closer because of the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
The remains of extraterrestial particles that are found on Earth's surface is called?
Meteorites. There are many different kinds: chondrites, achondrites. But simply put extraterrestril particles are meteorites.
How many basketball-sized meteorites land on earth in a year?
Probably many thousand such meteoroids strike the Earth's atmosphere per year, but only a tiny percentage make it through the atmosphere to land on the Earth. And since the Earth is 3/4 water, we figure that about 75% of all meteorites hit the ocean and sink.
Is The composition of Earth's core is thought to be the same as the composition of many meteorites?
Yes, this is because many meteorites derive from bodies that formed and differentiated (like the Earth) early on in the formation of the solar system but were then shattered by impacts, exposing their core material. This material is thought to be an analogue for the composition of Earth's interior.
What is the location of a meteorite?
Meteorites are meteors that fell to Earth. Therefore, all "meteorites" are on Earth someplace. Many of them are in museums, but some are available for purchase. And of course, there are still a great number of them laying all over the ground, if you could recognize them.
Why are the craters on the moon all perfectly circular?
It can not be because the moon has no atmosphere or gravity....in fact many craters would then have a parabolical shape because all meteorites can not impact with the moon at an exact vertical angle. So why can it be? It is because the theories of the moon being part of a very young earth is simply not true. Earth with it's much stronger gravitational pull should attract far more meteorites away from the moon, had this been the case. Also, the moon, being so close to earth, is protected by the earth from meteorite strikes directly in line with the earth. Earth's gravity would not allow meteorites to hit the moon directly behind it. Missing earth, the meteorites will definitely not impact with the moon directly behind earth. Many craters are on the side of the moon facing earth, so how did these meteorites get past earth to stirke the moon exactly face on? Remember that the moon is in terms of the universe, very close to earth therefore earth is shielding the moon against many many meteorite strikes from directly behind earth itself. Sorry, but I can not answer this question!
Many more meteorites reach the surface of the moon because?
They're trajectory brings them too close to the moon, and its gravitational pull gets ahold of them.
