Meteor

Basic Information

A meteor is a smallish (a meter or less in length) rock, mineral, or lump of metal falling inside our atmosphere. They are smaller than an asteroid, but bigger than a micrometeor.

Prior to entering our atmosphere, they are technically known as a meteoroid.

The heating of atmospheric entry can cause them to ignite into a bright and flaming bolide.

The remnants that remain after the meteor has struck the earth are called a meteorite.

Meteors are often made of meteoric iron (which may be in the form of iron-ore, or an iron-nickel alloy).

Sources

Bibliography

1. Wikipedia

Game and Story Use

• For ideas, see bolide, meteor-impact, and meteoric iron.
• In legend and fantasy, these things have traditionally served as a bus service for invading aliens - from carnivorous plants to otherworldly demons. These days we would consider any "meteor" impact that discharged a passenger to almost certainly be some other form of space debris that had been misidentified.