Meteorite Trajectory

[Matheous-2]

Is it 'normal' for a large meteorite, such as the recent ones in Russia, to come to Earth with that sort of shallow trajectory angle?

[Old_Geezer]

I'd have thought any angle was possible. Assuming it comes in most likely in the same plane the planets orbit, the maybe near the equator it'd more likely be perpendicular (possibly) but nearer the poles it's almost a miss, so would be coming in on a rather shallow angle.

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

It's not abnormal.
Every mass it met on its journey in through the solar system would have created a gravitational influence on its direction.
Think of it a bit like a pinball machine.

[jim360]

I've tried to read into this and not found a definitive answer but apparently the most common angle is 45 degrees. I think 90 degrees should be very unlikely, given that the earth is rotating and the meteor is likely to have some angular momentum - probably never going to head us dead-on. But shallow angle entries certainly are possible. Whether or not it is normal, I don't know.

[Matheous-2]

Thanks guys!

[DangerUXD]

Yes quite normal.