Science
What is a meteor?
A meteor is the streak of light you see when a small space rock burns up in Earth's atmosphere — a 'shooting star.' Friction with the air heats it white-hot in seconds. If any survives to land, it's called a meteorite.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains a meteor.
Key things to understand
- 1It's the bright streak from space debris entering the atmosphere.
- 2Air friction heats the rock until it glows and vaporizes.
- 3Most are tiny — no bigger than a grain of sand.
- 4It's a meteoroid in space, a meteor in the sky, a meteorite if it lands.
- 5Meteor showers happen when Earth passes through a comet's debris trail.
Frequently asked questions
- What makes a meteor glow?
- Friction with the air heats the fast-moving rock to thousands of degrees, making it and the surrounding air glow as it burns up.
- What's the difference between a meteor and a meteorite?
- A meteor is the streak of light in the sky; a meteorite is the piece that survives and reaches the ground.
- What causes a meteor shower?
- Earth passing through the trail of dust a comet left behind, so many particles burn up at once.