Why do meteorites have different colors?

Arabia Weather - Meteor showers are one of the most amazing sights in nature, as they provide a unique experience for stargazers, and meteors appear in bright rainbow colors.

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How do meteors occur?

Meteor showers occur several times a year when Earth passes through a field of debris, such as particles from asteroids or dust grains from a comet. This debris burns up as it enters Earth's atmosphere, producing a flash of light known by some as a shooting star.

If you look at it from the corner of your eye, the meteor may appear to give off a flash of white light, similar to the way stars appear. However, meteors can appear in a variety of colors if viewing conditions are clear, or if they are captured in a photograph.

According to AccuWeather meteorologist Dave Samuhill, "the color of light produced by meteors depends on their chemical composition." He added, "The different chemicals found in meteorites produce different colors as they burn when they enter the Earth's atmosphere."

Meteor color indications

• Nitrogen/Oxygen: They appear red.
• Sodium: appears yellow-orange in color.
• Magnesium: appears green.
• Iron: appears in cyan colour.
• Calcium: appears bluish-violet in color.

It is worth noting that chemicals are not the only factor that determines the color that a meteorite appears in; The speed at which a meteorite enters the atmosphere can also affect color.

According to the American Meteorological Society (AMS), slow meteors often appear red or orange, while fast meteors have a blue tint.

Samuel pointed out that the Geminid meteor shower, which is one of the best meteor showers of the year, is known for producing meteors with intense colors. Geminid showers peak in mid-December, appearing in yellow, orange, and sometimes green colors.

The Perseid meteor shower, which occurs in August every year, is also known to produce brightly colored meteors, making it another popular meteor shower.

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Sources:

accuweather