What Is a Shooting Star? | The Science Behind Them

Have you ever gazed up at a night sky and seen a streak of light flying across it? The answer to, “What is a shooting star?” is an interesting one because it’s not a star at all! 

What Is a Shooting Star?

A shooting star in the sky is, in fact, a meteor. That is, they’re fragments of debris from space that enter the earth’s atmosphere and burn up upon entry due to friction, creating a dazzling flash of brilliant light. 

More About Meteors

Meteors are formed from a few different sources around the solar system. However, there are three primary collisions that cause these celestial sightings: