SOLAR SYSTEM

Detailed explanation-1: -A meteor is a streak of light in the sky. A meteor, sometimes called a shooting star or a falling star, is actually a space rock that is crashing through Earth’s atmosphere.

Detailed explanation-2: -What are shooting stars? “Shooting stars” and “falling stars” are both names that describe meteors–streaks of light across the night sky caused by small bits of interplanetary rock and debris called meteoroids vaporizing high in Earth’s upper atmosphere.

Detailed explanation-3: -Actually, it is the air in front of the meteoroid that heats up. The particle is traveling at speeds between 20 and 30 kilometers per second. It compresses the air in front, causing the air to get hot. The air is so hot it begins to glow-creating a meteor-the streak of light observed from Earth.

Detailed explanation-4: -Meteoroids are objects in space that range in size from dust grains to small asteroids. Think of them as “space rocks.” When meteoroids enter Earth’s atmosphere (or that of another planet, like Mars) at high speed and burn up, the fireballs or “shooting stars” are called meteors.

Detailed explanation-5: -Seeing a meteor was believed to be a sign of promise, luck, and good fortune, though of course individual wishes varied greatly. Whispering “money” three times while the star remained visible was believed to be the best way to ensure financial success with such a wish.

Detailed explanation-6: -It moves so fast that it heats up and glows as it moves through the atmosphere. Shooting stars are actually what astronomers call meteors. Most meteors burn up in the atmosphere before they reach the ground. However, once in a while a meteor is large enough than some of it survives and reaches Earth’s surface.