Beijing Planetarium has a long history of collecting meteorites, and it is also the largest and most authoritative professional astronomical science popularization unit in China. I often receive samples of "suspected" meteorites handed in by the masses. In view of this, the Beijing Planetarium established the Meteorite and Astrochemistry Laboratory in 2003. The functions of the laboratory are as follows: 1) research on meteorites and other types of extraterrestrial bodies; 2) provide meteorite identification for the society, and at the same time make statistics and collection of meteorite samples at home and abroad; 3) relying on the museum's rich meteorite collection and achievements in the research field, carry out meteorite popular science exhibition and publicity. How to Identify Meteorites in Beijing Planetarium

To identify whether a sample is a meteorite, we can consider the following aspects:

1. External melting crust: Meteorites will pass through the dense atmosphere before falling to the ground. During the falling process, the meteorite will rub with the atmosphere to produce high temperature, which will melt its surface and form a thin melting shell. Therefore, all newly landed meteorites have a black molten shell with a thickness of about1mm.

2. Surface air marks: In addition, due to the interaction between meteorites and large airflow, many air marks will be left on the surface of meteorites, just like fingerprints pressed by fingers.

3. Internal metal: Iron meteorites and stone iron meteorites are composed of metallic iron, which has a high nickel content (5- 10%). There are also metal particles in chondrites, and fine metal particles can be seen on fresh fractures.

4. Magnetism: Because most meteorites contain iron, 95% of meteorites can be attracted by magnets.

5. Sphere: Most meteorites are chondrites (accounting for 90% of the total), and there are a lot of silicate spheres in these meteorites, which are called chondrites. A round chondrite can be seen on the fresh fracture of chondrite.

6. Specific gravity: The specific gravity of iron meteorites is 8g /cm3, which is much larger than that of ordinary rocks on the earth. Because chondrites contain a small amount of metals, their specific gravity is also very heavy.

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Meteorite characteristics

Meteorites burn and wear in the atmosphere, and their shapes are round and angular. Melting pit: There are pits of different sizes and depths on the surface of meteorites, that is, melting pits. Many meteorites also have shallow and long gas marks, which may be left by the shedding of low-melting minerals. Specific gravity: Because meteorites contain iron and nickel, the specific gravity of iron meteorites can reach 8, and stone meteorites often contain 20 iron and nickel, which is higher than ordinary rocks. Magnetism: All kinds of meteorites have different intensities of magnetism because they contain iron. Weathered meteorites are not magnetic, so they are not meteorites. Stripes: when meteorites rub on unglazed porcelain plates, there are generally no stripes or only light gray stripes; The stripes of iron ore are black or reddish brown to distinguish them.