A meteor is not actually an object in space but rather a visual event. It's a streak of light in the sky created when a meteoroid enters and burns up in Earth's atmosphere.
Understanding Meteors
Here's a more detailed explanation:
- Meteoroids: These are essentially space rocks—lumps of rock or iron that orbit the Sun. These can be small fragments from asteroid collisions, or dust and debris shed by comets.
- Atmospheric Entry: When a meteoroid enters Earth's atmosphere, it does so at high speed.
- Friction and Incandescence: The friction between the meteoroid and air molecules generates immense heat. This causes the meteoroid to glow brightly and, often, vaporize completely. This glowing trail of light is what we see as a meteor.
Key Differences
It's helpful to differentiate between related terms:
| Term | Definition | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Meteoroid | A small rock or iron fragment orbiting the Sun. | In space |
| Meteor | The visible streak of light caused by a meteoroid burning up in the atmosphere. | In Earth's atmosphere |
| Meteorite | A meteoroid that survives its atmospheric journey and reaches Earth's surface. | On Earth's surface |
Where do Meteoroids Come From?
- Asteroid Collisions: A large number of meteoroids are created from fragments resulting from collisions between asteroids.
- Cometary Debris: As comets orbit the Sun, they shed dust and debris that become meteoroids.
Example
Imagine a small piece of rock that is a result of two asteroids colliding. This rock is now a meteoroid orbiting the sun. When this meteoroid enters Earth's atmosphere it burns up, causing a bright streak of light in the sky. We then observe this streak of light and call it a meteor.
