I was wondering how to calculate the time needed for a meteorite to reach the surface of Earth given its distance from the surface. The mass of the meteorite is much smaller than that of the Earth, but the distance from the Earth doesn't allow easy approximations, let's say that the distance from the surface of the Earth is three times the radius of the Earth.
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
1
-
$\begingroup$ -1. No attempt to do a calculation or research to find an answer. $\endgroup$– sammy gerbilCommented Jan 18, 2017 at 21:33
Add a comment
|
1 Answer
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
0
Five points to consider in your :) calculations.
Which direction is the meteoroid approaching Earth, parallel to our orbital motion, antiparallel, or most likely at some oblique angle?
How fast is the meteoroid moving?
How much atmosphere does it need to pass through before landing? This is related to point 1.
How large is the meteoroid and what is its composition, as this will affect drag and the possibility of disintegration.
Will it arrive at night, hitting a colder denser atmosphere? Given the high speeds this will probably not be of significant importance, but still may be a factor.