Meteor

Meteor

A Meteor is a celestial phenomenon that is often observed in the Earth's atmosphere. It is commonly referred to as a "shooting star" due to its bright, streaking appearance in the sky. Meteors are small particles from space that enter the Earth's atmosphere at high speed, burning up and creating a bright trail as they do so.

Origin

Meteors originate from meteoroids, which are small particles or chunks of debris in the Solar System. These meteoroids become meteors when they enter the Earth's atmosphere and start to burn up due to the intense heat generated by their high-speed entry. The majority of meteoroids come from the asteroid belt, although some are also from the comets.

Observation

Meteors are typically observed during meteor showers, which occur when the Earth passes through a stream of meteoroids in space. The most famous of these is the Perseid meteor shower, which occurs annually in August. However, meteors can also be observed sporadically throughout the year.

Impact

While most meteors burn up completely in the Earth's atmosphere, some larger ones, known as meteorites, can survive the journey and reach the Earth's surface. These meteorites can provide valuable information about the early Solar System and the formation of planets.

See also

• Meteoroid
• Meteorite
• Meteor shower
• Asteroid
• Comet