When captured by the sun, no matter how large the chunk, it will be vaporized. The tails of comets, blown outward by the solar wind, leave particles behind in their wake. Comets Swift-Tuttle, and Halley's among others. Although sporadic meteors may be seen at other times, those that appear before Midnight are basically having to race the Earth. After Midnight, we can meet them head-on, and therefore get a much more spectacular showing.
Many meteorites show evidence of having been part of a larger, differentiated , parent body.
Differentiation refers to the fact that the world was composed of an inner core, outer core, mantel, and crust. The Astronomical League has an observing program for those who are interested in observing meteors. Click HERE for information on this observing program. Meteorite A meteorite is a meteor that actually makes it to land-fall. Meteorites may be bits of other planets, asteroids, or other extra-terrestrial material.