Meteors and shooting stars — Astronomy, 4–6 years
A shooting star is not a star falling from the sky. It is a small piece of rock or dust that glows as it rushes through Earth's air.
A flash in the air
A meteoroid is a small bit of rock or metal travelling through space. When it enters Earth's air very fast, the air around it gets hot and glows; that bright streak is a meteor, often called a shooting star. Most are tiny and disappear before reaching the ground.
Why it shines
Space is nearly empty, so a little rock can travel there without making a bright trail. Earth's air is different: the fast rock pushes into it, and the air and rock become extremely hot. This gives us a quick flash, instead of an invisible piece simply passing overhead.
From rock to meteorite
Imagine a grain-sized rock crossing the sky. First, it travels through space as a meteoroid. Next, it enters Earth's air and makes a bright streak, so we call it a meteor. If a piece survives and lands, that piece is a meteorite.
It is not a falling star
The name shooting star makes sense because the flash looks like a star moving quickly. But real stars are enormous, hot balls of gas very far away; they do not drop through our sky. The streak comes from a much smaller space rock meeting Earth's air.
Watching a meteor shower
On some nights, many meteors seem to appear close together. This can happen when Earth passes through a trail of dust left by a comet. People may watch from a dark, safe place, without a telescope, but clouds or bright town lights can hide the faint streaks.
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