If you find a rock that looks like it's from outer space, it's likely a meteorite. Although quite rare on earth, meteorites are not impossible to find. However, you should make sure that the stone you find is indeed stone or iron from outer space. By examining the visual and physical characteristics of the meteorite, you can determine the authenticity of the rock found.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Checking Visual Traits
Step 1. Determine if the stone is black or rust brown
If the rock found is a recently fallen meteorite, it will be black and shiny as a result of atmospheric burning. However, the ferrous metal in the meteorite will rust and turn brown in color.
- This rust usually starts out as red with orange spots on the meteorite's surface which gradually expands. You may still see the black crust even if some of the meteorite has started to rust.
- Meteorites can be black but with slight variations (e.g. steel-blue black). However, if the color found is not close to black or brown, the rock is not a meteorite.
Step 2. Make sure the rock has an odd shape
Contrary to many people's expectations, most meteorites are not spherical. On the other hand, it is quite irregular in shape with the sides varying in size and shape. While some meteorites can achieve a funnel-like shape, most will not appear aerodynamic after landing.
- Despite their irregular shape, most meteorites will have a blunt edge instead of a pointed edge.
- If the shape found is quite normal, or round like a ball, there is still a possibility that the rock is a meteorite. However, most meteorites have an irregular shape.
Step 3. Determine if the rock has a fusion crust
As rock passes through Earth's atmosphere, its surface begins to melt and air pressure pushes the melted rock backwards, creating a formless, melt-like surface called fusion crust. If the rock has a surface that looks like it has melted or shifted, it's probably a meteorite.
- Fusion crust usually appears smooth and irregular, but sometimes has ripple marks and “droplets” where the melted rock slides off and hardens again.
- If it doesn't have a fusion crust, it's probably not a meteorite.
- Fusion crust can appear like a black shell covered with rock.
- Rocks in the desert will sometimes form a shiny black exterior similar to fusion crust. If you find a stone in the desert, determine whether the black surface is desert varnish or not.
Step 4. Check the flow line on the melt surface
These flow lines are small lines in fused crust that form when the crust melts and is forced back. If the rock has a crust-like surface with small stripes, it is most likely a meteorite.
These flow lines are small and not easily visible to the naked eye because they may break or not be completely straight. Use a magnifying glass and carefully examine the flow line on the rock surface
Step 5. Identify holes and crevices in the rock face
Although usually the surface of a meteorite is shapeless, sometimes the rock has shallow and deep holes that resemble thumbprints. Try looking for this hole in the rock to determine the meteorite and its type.
- Iron meteorites are usually prone to irregular melting and have deeper, more pronounced holes, while rock meteorites tend to have craters/holes that are smooth like the rock surface.
- These indents are known as " regmaglypts ", although most people who handle meteorites simply refer to them as " thumbprints " (thumbprints).
Step 6. Make sure the stone is not porous or full of holes
While craters and holes in the rock's surface can indicate a meteorite, no meteorite has holes in its interior. Meteorites are very solid solid rock; if the rock found has many pores or the appearance of bubbles, it is not a meteorite.
- If a rock is found to have many holes in the surface, or appears to be "bubbly" as if it had melted, it's definitely not a meteorite.
- Slag from industrial processes is often mistaken for meteorites, even though slag has a porous surface. Another common mistake is to mistake other types of rock such as lava rock and black limestone for meteorites.
- If you have trouble distinguishing holes and regmaglypts, try comparing them directly with pictures on the internet to learn the difference
Part 2 of 2: Testing Stone's Physical Characteristics
Step 1. Calculate the density of the rock if the mass is noticeably heavier than normal
Meteorites are solid rocks that are usually densely packed with metal. If the rock you find looks like a meteorite, compare it to other rocks to make sure it's heavy enough. Then, calculate the density of the rock to confirm its identity.
You can calculate the density of a rock by dividing its weight by its volume. If the rock has a density exceeding 3 units, it is most likely a meteorite
Step 2. Use a magnet to see if the stone is magnetic
Almost all meteorites are magnetic, although some are very weak. This is due to the high concentrations of iron and nickel in most meteorites (both are magnetic). If the magnet isn't attracted to the rock, it's most likely not a meteorite.
- Because many space rocks are also magnetic, magnetic testing has not proven the rock's identity with certainty. However, if the rock isn't attracted to a magnet, it's most likely not a meteorite.
- Iron meteorites are much more magnetic than rock meteorites, and most of them are strong enough to interfere with compass direction when brought near them.
Step 3. Scratch the stone on the unglazed ceramic to test the identity of the stone
The scratch test is a great way to distinguish space rocks. Scrape the stone on the unglazed side of the ceramic; If the resulting scratch is not a weak gray, the rock is not a meteorite.
- For glazed ceramic tile, you can use an unfinished bathroom or kitchen tile base, a glazed base on a ceramic cup, or the inside of a toilet tank cover.
- Hematite and magnetite are usually mistaken for meteorites. Hematite rocks leave streaks of red, while magnetite rocks leave dark gray marks, indicating they are not meteorites.
- Note that many space rocks also leave no traces so while it can rule out hematite and magnetite, this test does not confirm the identity of the meteorite.
Step 4. File the surface of the stone for shiny metal flakes
Most meteorites contain shiny metal that can be seen beneath the surface of the fused crust. Use a diamond file to file the corners of the stone and check for metal in the interior.
- You will need a diamond file to scrape the surface of the meteorite. The engraving process is also quite time consuming and effort. If you can't do it yourself, you can take it to a lab for specialist testing.
- If a rock has a plain interior, it's most likely not a meteorite.
Step 5. Examine the inside of the rock for small balls of stone
Most meteorites that fall to Earth are of the type that have small spherical masses inside called chondrules. These balls look like small rocks and vary in size, shape, and color.
- Although chondrules are usually in the interior of meteorites, weather erosion can make them visible on the surface of meteorites that have been exposed to many elements for a long time.
- In most cases, you will need to open the meteorite to see the chondrules inside.
Tips
- Meteorites have bubbles called vesicles. All lunar meteorites are vesicular. Rock and iron meteorites have no bubbles on the "inside". Some rock meteorites have air bubbles on the outside.
- Since meteorites tend to have higher nickel concentrations than space rocks, you can perform a nickel test to determine the rock's identity. This test can be done in a laboratory and will be more certain than most of the tests above.
- There are many books and websites to read. Expand your knowledge.
- Your chances of finding a real meteorite are very slim. If you want to find it, the best place is the desert.
