- 1). Expose the native iron of the rock by sanding or cutting. Native iron appears silver-colored and is extremely malleable (soft).
- 2). Place the magnet on the exposed native iron to determine if there is any magnetic attraction.
- 3). Evaluate the shape of the rock. Meteorites are commonly somewhat square-shaped, although they can be almost any shape, including, unusual, angular, and nondescript with rounded corners.
- 4). Determine if the stone has a fusion crust. A stony meteorite's crust is originally black but lightens with prolonged exposure to the elements, sometimes fading completely away.
- 5). Examine the rock's surface with a 10x magnifier. Determine if the surface of the rock has a "thumbprint"---dips and dents in the fusion crust.
- 6). Examine the stone's fracture points. A fresh break shows a much lighter interior color and no signs of heating.
- 7). Examine your stone for rust. Most meteorites contain a high percentage of iron, and will rust with prolonged exposure to the elements. For stony meteorites, this rusting turns the black fusion crust to a rusty brown color.
- 8). Examine the surface of your stone for chondrules (small, spherical grains, 1mm in diameter, embedded in most stony meteorites).
- 9). Determine the rock's density---how heavy it is for its size, compared to other same-sized rocks.
- 10
Test the sample for magnetite. Rub the rock vigorously on the back or unglazed side of a tile. If it leaves a streak, then it is magnetite and not a meteorite. - 11
Send your results to experts at a university or mineralogical institute for conclusive results.
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