Meteors

Meteors, also known as shooting stars, are pieces of dust and debris from space that burn up in Earth's atmosphere, where they can create bright streaks across the night sky. When Earth passes through the dusty trail of a comet or asteroid's orbit, the many streaks of light in the sky are known as a meteor shower. Particularly large chunks of material can create an extra-bright fireball streak, but most meteors are still small enough to entirely burn up in Earth's atmosphere. If a meteor makes it to Earth it's known as a meteorite. Before they hit atmosphere the objects are called meteoroids. 

Related Topics: Asteroids, Aurora Borealis, Comets 

Latest Updates

The Z229-15 galaxy has an enormous black hole at its center. Here seen by the Hubble Space Telescope.

Pictures from space! Our image of the day

By Space.com Staff published

The Hubble Space Telescope took a picture of an extremely bright galaxy some 390 million light-years away from Earth.

a meteor streaks across a starry night sky

Gamma Normid meteor shower peaks on March 15 for the southern hemisphere

By Robert Lea published

The annual meteor shower known as the Gamma Normids peaks this year on March 15, providing a challenging target for patient Southern Hemisphere skywatchers.

Japanese astronomer Daichi Fujii captured this shot of a meteorite impacting the moon (bright flash at bottom left) on Feb. 23, 2023.

Boom! Japanese astronomer catches meteorite smashing into the moon (video)

By Andrew Jones published

Japanese astronomer Daichi Fujii captured the telltale flash of a meteorite impacting the moon, causing a brief flash on our celestial neighbor's nightside.

A meteorite found in Texas on Feb. 18, 2023.

Scientists find meteorite in Texas from fireball that exploded with the force of 8 tons of TNT

By Stefanie Waldek published

The meteoroid was traveling about 27,000 mph (43,452 kph) when it struck the atmosphere, exploding into smaller pieces — some of which hit the ground.

A close-up image of white salt crystals on the gray and rocky surface of a meteorite fragment

'Pristine' meteorite contaminated with table salt upon crash landing on Earth

By Stephanie Pappas published

The Winchcombe meteorite was collected mere hours after it fell, but researchers have found that it was already contaminated with earthly minerals, including common table salt.

A meteor explodes above Chelyabinsk, Russia on Feb. 15, 2013.

Chelyabinsk meteor explosion over Russia 10 years ago was a planetary defense wakeup call

By Brett Tingley published

On Feb. 15, 2003, a meteor exploded over the Russian city of Chelyabinsk, showing why we need better methods of detecting and tracking near-Earth asteroids.

A photograph of a meteor shower in the night sky.

The Alpha-Centaurids meteor shower peaks tonight for Southern Hemisphere skywatchers

By Robert Lea published

The annual meteor shower Alpha-Centaurids peaks on Wednesday (Feb. 8) as Earth passes through a cloud of debris left by an unknown comet - but only for skywatchers in the Southern Hemisphere.

An image of the 17-pound meteorite recovered from Antarctica.

Scientists find 17-pound meteorite in icy Antarctica

By Robert Lea published

Scientists have returned from Antarctica with an impressive haul of meteorites, including a near-17-pound monster.

A meteor streaks overhead above a lake.

See the Gamma Ursae Minorid meteor shower peak on Thursday (Jan. 19)

By Robert Lea published

The annual Ursae Minorid meteor shower which began on Jan. 15 peaks on Thursday, Jan. 19, with the meteors best seen when the constellation Ursa Minor is high above the horizon.

Researcher Queenie Chan holds a sample of the Winchcombe meteorite.

Meteorite that crashed onto UK driveway contains the building blocks of life

By Elizabeth Rayne published

Amino acids, the building blocks of life, have been found in the nearly pristine Winchcombe meteorite.

Tissint, a Martian meteorite that landed in Morocco 11 years ago.

Mars meteorite with organic molecules holds clues to chances of ancient life

By Robert Lea published

Scientists have discovered a wealth of organic compounds within a Martian meteorite, which could help researchers discover if Mars could have hosted life.

Meteors streaking over a nighttime Earth with city lights seen from space.

Quadrantid meteor shower, one of the best of the year, peaking now at the wrong time

By Joe Rao published

The bright moon will interfere with the 2023 Quadrantid meteor shower this year, limiting the shooting star display.

Astrophotographer Jeff Berkes took this photo of the Quadrantid meteor shower on Jan. 4, 2012.

How to watch the Quadrantids – one of the best meteor showers all year – on Jan. 2 and 3

By Stephanie Pappas published

The Quadrantid meteor shower is considered one of the best to view all year. Here's how to maximize your chances of seeing shooting stars.

The Russian-built Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft docked at the International Space Station above a blue Earth.

Hole in leaky Russian Soyuz spacecraft not caused by Geminid meteor

By Mike Wall published

It's still unclear why a Russian Soyuz spacecraft at the International Space Station sprang a leak last week, but one suspect has been ruled out: a strike by a Geminid meteor.

An illustration of the night sky on Dec. 22 showing the Ursid meteor shower originating from the constellation Ursa Minor.

The Ursid meteor shower, last 'shooting stars' of 2022, peaks tonight

By Stefanie Waldek published

The Ursid meteor shower peaks tonight (Dec. 22 into the morning of Dec. 23), offering the last shooting stars of the year.

A meteor streaks across the night sky over the Lhasa River on December 14, 2022 in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

Ursid meteor shower shines with ideal dark sky conditions this year

By Joe Rao published

The moon will be at new moon phase on Dec. 23 when the Ursid meteor shower reaches its peak, meaning it won't provide any hindrance at all for meteor watching.

A fireball with unexpected features as seen by the Global Fireball Observatory camera at Miquelon Lake Provincial Park, Alberta.

Scientists trace fireball to strange rocky meteoroid from the edge of the solar system

By Robert Lea published

A rocky meteoroid that exploded over Canada last year was more extraordinary than it first seemed: it originated from the outer solar system, where scientists thought only icy bodies exist.

An image of the night sky showing the Ursid meteor shower originating from the Ursa Minor constellation.

Look up! The Ursid meteor shower starts tonight (Dec. 17)

By Robert Lea published

A more low-key meteor shower than the Geminids, the Ursid meteor shower begins on Saturday, Dec. 17, and last throughout the Christmas period.

A Gemini meteor streaking across the sky above the Point Reyes shipwreck in California.

The Geminid meteor shower of 2022 wowed skywatchers with bright fireballs (photos)

By Tereza Pultarova published

One of the most spectacular showers of the year,, the Geminid meteor shower, peaked tonight and avid skywatchers all over the world were able to capture the spectacle.

An illustration of the night sky on Dec. 13 showing the Geminid meteor shower originating from the Gemini constellation.

The Geminid meteor shower peaks tonight. Here's how to see it

By Stefanie Waldek published

The Geminid meteor shower will peak overnight tonight (Dec. 13 and Dec. 14), producing anywhere from 60 to 120 meteors per hour.