A meteorite is a rock from space that survives its fiery journey through Earth's atmosphere and lands on the ground. Most space rocks burn up completely as they streak across the sky (we call those meteors or shooting stars), but meteorites are the tough ones that make it all the way down.

When a meteorite enters our atmosphere, friction with air molecules heats it to incredible temperatures, often creating a brilliant flash of light. The outer surface melts and burns away, but if the rock is large enough, a solid chunk survives to strike the surface. Some meteorites are tiny pebbles, while others weigh many tons. Scientists prize meteorites because they're samples of asteroids, moons, or even Mars that arrive on Earth without anyone needing to launch a rocket to collect them.

Most meteorites come from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Finding a meteorite is rare and exciting: they look different from Earth rocks, often with a dark, smooth exterior from their scorching trip through the atmosphere. Museums display famous meteorites, and scientists study them to learn about the early solar system. One of the largest meteorites ever found, in Namibia, weighs over 60 tons.