Meteorites Everywhere - Including the Car Trunk

On this date in 1992, thousands of people in the Eastern United States witnessed a bright fireball and heard sonic booms as the fireball passed through the Earth's atmosphere. It was captured on 16 independent videos. Documented as brighter than the full Moon, the spectacular fireball crossed parts of several US states during its 40 seconds of glory before landing in Peekskill, New York.

The Peekskill meteor of 1992 was 27.3 pounds (12.4 kg) and struck a 1980 Chevy Malibu sitting in its driveway. The meteorite, composed of dense rock the size and mass of an extremely heavy bowling ball, penetrated all the way through the trunk of the car, barely missing the gas tank. Analysis of the fireball's flight path led to the determination of the object's orbit around the Sun prior to its impact on Earth.

Speaking of meteorites, tonight is the peak of the Draconids Meteor Shower.

If you want to catch what may prove to be a wonderful meteor shower, be prepared for the Orionids. While it started on the 2nd, and should run through the 7th of November, it should peak on the 21st.

The orionids meteors are remnants of Halley's Comet, from earlier passes through our solar system.

Using Isaac Newton's new Laws of Motion, the astronomer, Edmond Halley, made a prediction in 1705. He stated that a comet which had appeared in 1531, 1607 and 1682 would reappear in 1758. Although he was proven to be correct, Halley did not live to see it. However, the comet was later named in his honor.

Each time Halley's Comet swings by the sun, solar heating evaporates about 6 meters of ice and rock from the nucleus. Comet debris particles are usually no bigger than grains of sand, and much less dense. Although they are very small, these tiny 'meteoroids' make brilliant shooting stars when they strike Earth's atmosphere because they travel at tremendous speeds. The Orionids meteor shower happens each year when Earth passes through the debris stream of Halley's Comet, and meteoroids hit the atmosphere at nearly 90,000 mph.

If you are lucky enough to find a meteorite just after impact, do not pick it up -- parts of it are likely to be either very hot or very cold.