Field Museum

Find a specimen and try out the checklist!

Meteorite Checklist

Meteoritics: Presolar Grains

What is a Meteorite?

Scientists at the Field Museum and around the world are studying meteorites everyday to find answers to some of the most profound questions about the universe and the origins of our solar system. Meteoritics is the science of meteors, meteorites, and meteoroids. The first step in understanding meteorites and where they come from, is to first identify them as meteorites. Follow this step by step guide to determine whether you have found a meteorite.

Meteorite Identification Part 1

Surprisingly, there are a lot of Earth based rocks that look very similar to space rocks. Meteoriticists at the Field Museum regularly receive specimens from people around the world claiming to have found a meteorite. It’s up to these scientists to determine whether the specimens are meteorites, or just a chunk of asphalt (or something else). 
Take a look at some meteorites and some meteor-wrongs (which is actually the term used in the meteoritics community to describe these imposter meteorites). 


Meteorite Identification Part Two

The mysteries of space often leave us with more questions than answers, but meteorites can actually tell us a lot about the history of our solar system. Learn about the identification process and discover whether you are meteorite, or meteor-wrong.


Resource Kits

Object Library

Museums

Meteorite, Meteorwrong

Meteorite Checklist

Background Knowledge