Collecting Meteorites

Equipment Needed

• Large piece of white paper or plastic
• Magnet
• Magnifying glass or a microscope (Preferably a microscope)

1. Choose a clear sunny day
2. Leave the sheet of paper or plastic outside in an area not covered by trees.
3. Place the pan on a hard surface (Like the ground).
4. Leave in place for 4 hours or more. (Collect before it rains.)
5. Carefully collect the sheet by lifting the edges so any material collected rolls into the center.
6. Carefully tap the sheet to shift all material to the center.
7. Hold the magnet against the bottom of the sheet and gently tilt the sheet so the material which is not attracted to the magnet rolls off.
8. Take the remaining material and place it under your magnifying glass or microscope.
9. Examine your material, looking for dark round particles with pitted surfaces.
10. You have found micrometeorites

Every day, literally tons of fine particles drop to Earth. A lot of this material originated at the same time our solar system formed, about 4 1/2 billion years ago. A meteorite is simply a rock of extra-terrestrial origin found on Earth. So, a micrometeorite is a very very small rock of extra-terrestrial origin found on Earth.