Meteors usually break apart A faster meteor is more likely to break apart before it hits the ground. Meteors made of iron can handle the stress better than those made of stone. But even most iron meteors crack up around 5 to 7 miles up, where the atmosphere is thicker. When a rock from space hits the ground, it can blast out a crater that is 12 to 20 times the size of the rock. Smaller rocks from space create simple, bowl-shaped craters.
Larger objects cause a rebound that creates a peak in the middle.
In ancient times, objects in the night sky made people superstitious. Often they were associated with gods and religion. But the misunderstandings about meteors lasted longer than those of most celestial objects. In 1807, a fireball exploded over Connecticut, and several meteorites rained down. By then, a few asteroids had been discovered, and a new theory got started that said meteorites were broken bits of asteroids or other planets.