Meteorite types

Every class and group of meteorite, organised the way scientists classify them, with what each is made of, where it comes from and how common it is.

Share of meteorites seen to fall.

Stony meteorites

Meteorites made mostly of silicate minerals. They are by far the most common kind seen to fall.

44,694 in the catalogue

Stony-iron meteorites

Roughly equal parts metal and silicate. Rare, and among the most beautiful meteorites.

281 in the catalogue

Iron meteorites

Almost pure iron-nickel metal, mostly from the cores of asteroids that melted and were later shattered.

1,072 in the catalogue

The full classification

Stony meteorites 44,694
- Chondrites 42,565
  - Ordinary chondrites 40,278
    - H chondrites 18,126
    - L chondrites 16,101
    - LL chondrites 5,896
  - Carbonaceous chondrites 1,616
    - CI chondrites 9
    - CM chondrites 461
    - CO chondrites 391
    - CV chondrites 263
    - CK chondrites 229
    - CR chondrites 151
    - CH chondrites 44
    - CB chondrites (bencubbinites) 18
  - Enstatite chondrites 533
    - EH chondrites 170
    - EL chondrites 120
  - R chondrites (rumurutiites) 135
  - K chondrites (Kakangari grouplet) 3
- Achondrites 2,129
  - Primitive achondrites 494
    - Acapulcoites 56
    - Lodranites 50
    - Winonaites 28
    - Brachinites 33
    - Ureilites 327
  - Asteroidal achondrites 1,283
    - HED meteorites: pieces of Vesta 1,187
      - Howardites 241
      - Eucrites 681
      - Diogenites 265
    - Angrites 21
    - Aubrites 75
  - Ungrouped achondrites 66
  - Planetary achondrites 286
    - Lunar meteorites 165
    - Martian meteorites 121
      - Shergottites 99
      - Nakhlites 15
      - Chassignites 2
      - ALH 84001 and other Martian rocks 130

Stony-iron meteorites 281
- Pallasites 94
- Mesosiderites 187

Iron meteorites 1,072
- IAB irons 261
- IC irons 12
- IIAB irons 119
- IIC irons 8
- IID irons 21
- IIE irons 22
- IIF irons 6
- IIG irons 6
- IIIAB irons 292
- IIIE irons 15
- IIIF irons 9
- IVA irons 75
- IVB irons 14
- Ungrouped irons 113

How to read a classification

A label like L6 S4 W2 or CM2 packs in a lot. The letters give the chemical group, the number after them the petrologic type (how much heating or water changed the rock), S the shock stage and W the weathering grade. See chondrites for the full explanation, and iron meteorites for octahedrites, hexahedrites and ataxites.

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