So was it a meteor or a meteorite that flashed in the Pacific Northwest sky early Tuesday?

A meteor is what people saw – a phenomenon created when a meteoroid or asteroid enters the Earth’s atmosphere.  The object itself interacts with the atmosphere, creating the bright light.

A meteorite is the name given to the object when, and if, it hits the ground.  So far, it hasn’t been confirmed if the object seen in the sky made impact, despite reports it landed somewhere in Adams County, Wash.

What’s the difference between an asteroid and a meteoroid?  It all comes down to size. A meteoroid is anything from the size of a grain of sand up to a boulder.  Anything bigger than that is considered an asteroid.