A meteor is a small celestial object that enters the Earth’s atmosphere from outer space. Typically originating from remnants of comets or asteroids, these objects range in size from tiny particles to larger rocks.
When a meteor enters the atmosphere, it undergoes immense friction with air molecules, causing it to heat up and glow brightly, creating a streak of light across the sky.
This phenomenon is known as a meteoroid if it is still in space, a meteor when it’s streaking through the atmosphere, and a meteorite if it lands on Earth’s surface.
Meteor showers occur when the Earth passes through a debris field left by a comet, resulting in multiple meteors visible within a short period.
