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--BenjaminDanklin-- t1_ja6j19s wrote

Reply to comment by boundegar in Why are Most Meteorites Found in Antarctica? by ChieftainMcLeland

Why would they have to land at a shallow angle?

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Euhn t1_ja6p0r7 wrote

Because most of the objects in our solar system are on the same plane of rotation around the sun. Planets are all very closely aligned, most of the objects that could impact Earth are on a similar trajectory. If an object hits near the equator, the faster and deeper it dives into the atmosphere, generating heat and ablating itself before it hits the ground. Objects etering near the poles have a longer time to slow down in less dense atmosphere. Less likely to burn up before reaching the ground.

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boundegar t1_ja78dsp wrote

Also, a rock that came in at a steep angle would probably bury itself.

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is-this-a-nick t1_ja7h1hm wrote

Does not matter. Any small meteorite will reach terminal velocity before impact, and and large one is more likely to explode into fragments under a steep angle.

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Corntillas t1_ja7ptty wrote

Makes me want a “reverse-kerbal” game where you have to design and launch meteorites that successfully make it through atmospheres and seed planets

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