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Have you ever looked up at the night sky and seen a streak of light flash by? You might have shouted, "Look, a shooting star!" But did you know that shooting stars aren't actually stars at all? They're something even cooler – they're meteors!
What Exactly is a Meteor?
A meteor is a small piece of rock or metal from space that enters the Earth's atmosphere. Imagine a tiny astronaut, a meteoroid, traveling through space. When it gets too close to Earth, our planet's gravity pulls it in! As it zooms through the air, it rubs against the air molecules, causing friction and heat. This heat makes the meteoroid glow brightly, creating that streak of light we see in the sky.
"Thousands of meteorites hitting the Earth's surface each year seems like a lot. But very few are ever found."
From Meteoroid to Meteorite: A Rock's Journey
- Meteoroid: A meteoroid is a small piece of rock or metal that's still traveling through space. Think of it like a tiny space traveler!
- Meteor: When a meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere and starts to burn up, it becomes a meteor. This is when we see the bright streak of light, often called a shooting star.
- Meteorite: If a meteor survives its fiery journey through the atmosphere and lands on Earth, it's called a meteorite. These space rocks are incredibly valuable to scientists because they can tell us a lot about our solar system.
Did You Know? Fun Facts About Meteors!
- The Biggest Splash: The largest meteorite ever found on Earth is called Hoba, and it's located in Namibia, Africa. It's so big and heavy – 60 tons, which is like the weight of 10 elephants!
- Older Than Time: The oldest meteorite ever discovered is called the Fukang meteorite, found in China. It's believed to be around 4.5 billion years old, which means it's even older than our planet!
- Meteor Showers: Sometimes, Earth passes through a stream of dust and debris left behind by a comet. When this happens, we get to see a meteor shower – it's like a beautiful fireworks show in the sky with lots of shooting stars!
Want to See a Meteor?
The best time to see meteors is during a meteor shower. There are several meteor showers that happen every year, and you can find out when they are by checking online or looking at a stargazing app. Find a dark spot away from city lights, lie down on a blanket, and look up! You might just see a few shooting stars streaking across the sky.
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