2 (j.c.a.) Meteor, Meteorites and Meteoroids
It’s a perfect night for stargazing—dark and clear. Suddenly, a streak of light flashes across the sky. For an hour or so, you see a streak at least once a minute. You are watching a meteor shower. Meteor showers happen regularly, several times a year.
Even when there is no meteor shower, you often can see meteors if you are far from city lights and the sky is not cloudy. On average, a meteor streaks overhead every 10 minutes.
A meteoroid is a chunk of rock or dust in space. Meteoroids come from comets or asteroids. Some meteoroids form when asteroids collide in space. Others form when a comet breaks up and creates a cloud of dust that continues to move through the solar system. When Earth passes through one of these dust clouds, bits of dust enter Earth’s atmosphere.
When a meteoroid enters Earth’s atmosphere, pressure with the air creates heat and produces a streak of light in the sky—a meteor. If the meteoroid is large enough, it may not burn up completely. Meteoroids that pass through the atmosphere and hit Earth’s surface are called meteorites.
Even when there is no meteor shower, you often can see meteors if you are far from city lights and the sky is not cloudy. On average, a meteor streaks overhead every 10 minutes.
A meteoroid is a chunk of rock or dust in space. Meteoroids come from comets or asteroids. Some meteoroids form when asteroids collide in space. Others form when a comet breaks up and creates a cloud of dust that continues to move through the solar system. When Earth passes through one of these dust clouds, bits of dust enter Earth’s atmosphere.
When a meteoroid enters Earth’s atmosphere, pressure with the air creates heat and produces a streak of light in the sky—a meteor. If the meteoroid is large enough, it may not burn up completely. Meteoroids that pass through the atmosphere and hit Earth’s surface are called meteorites.