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In meteor astronomy, there are five fundamental terms: meteor, meteoroid, and meteorite are the best known, and dust (interplanetary) and meteoric smoke a bit less known, but of equal scientific importance.
Meteoroids are space rocks that range in size from dust grains to small asteroids. When meteoroids enter Earth’s atmosphere, or that of another planet, at high speed and burn up, they’re called meteors. When you see lots if meteors, you’re watching a meteor shower.
The definitions of fundamental terms. Meteor is the light and associated physical phenomena (heat, shock, ionization), which result from the high speed entry of a solid object from space into a gaseous atmosphere.
Meteor and meteoroid, respectively, a glowing streak in the sky (meteor) and its cause, which is a relatively small stony or metallic natural object from interplanetary space (meteoroid) that enters Earth’s atmosphere and heats to incandescence.
4 sty 2019 · Meteors are flashes of light made when bits of space rock speed through our atmosphere and burst into flames. Meteors may be created by comets and asteroids but are not themselves comets and asteroids. A meteorite is a space rock that survives the trip through the atmosphere and lands on the surface of a planet.
30 kwi 2024 · What is a Meteor? A meteor is a small rocky or metallic body that enters the Earth’s atmosphere and burns up due to friction with the air. When a meteor enters the Earth’s atmosphere, it produces a bright streak of light known as a meteor or shooting star. Meteors are commonly seen at night when the sky is dark and clear.
