Space rocks and meteors — Astronomy, 7–10 years
Asteroids and comets travel through space. A small piece that enters Earth’s air can glow as a meteor, and a piece reaching the ground is a meteorite.
Three names for space rocks
An asteroid is a rocky or metallic object travelling through space. A meteoroid is a smaller piece of rock in space. When one enters Earth’s atmosphere and heats the air into a bright streak, we call the streak a meteor; if a piece lands, it is a meteorite.
Why learn the names
Skywatchers needed words that separated the rock itself from the flash it made in the atmosphere and from any piece found on Earth. These names prevent confusion when scientists compare observations. They also show that the same object can be described differently as it moves from space to the ground.
A streak of light
Imagine a 2-centimetre piece of rock entering Earth’s atmosphere at great speed. First, it is a meteoroid because it is still in space. Next, it heats the air and makes a flash: that flash is a meteor. If a solid piece survives and is found on the ground, that piece is a meteorite.
Meteor is not the rock
People often call the glowing streak a meteorite, because the light seems to come from a falling rock. That is a sensible mix-up. A meteor is the flash in the atmosphere; a meteorite is the piece that reaches the ground. Most small pieces disappear before landing.
Watching and protecting
Scientists track many asteroids because a large collision could damage Earth. Telescopes and radar help measure their paths, while museums study meteorites to learn what the early Solar System was made from. Seeing a shooting star is common, but it does not mean a dangerous impact is happening.
Keep exploring
Other languages
Loading MyLeoNes™…