Esquel is a stony-iron pallasite meteorite that was found in Argentina in 1951. It's widely considered to be one of the most beautiful meteorites ever found. Credit: Dave Eicher
When you pick up a meteorite, you are holding an ancient piece of the solar system right in your hands. Most meteorites come from asteroids, which are debris left over from the violent, chaotic formation of the solar system. There are three categories of meteorites — iron, stone, and stony-iron; they originate from an asteroid’s core, mantle, or the boundary between the core and mantle.
Some meteorites even come from other worlds — the Moon or Mars; these rocks were blown off by an impact and eventually made their way across the solar system to fall to Earth.
You can start your own collection of meteorites by checking online dealers like My Science Shop. You can also go to the Tucson Gem Show, which takes place every year in February.
