What is a Meteorite?

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Meteorites are bodies (a lump of stone or metal) from space that are large enough to reach the ground without burning up in the atmosphere. The largest known meteorite weighed about 60 tones and landed in Namibia, Southern Africa. Meteorites were probably formed at the same time as the Solar System. A falling meteorite leaves a brilliant trail in the sky known as a fireball. Some meteorites are mostly metal (iron and nickel) while others are made of stone.

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