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 Milky Way stretches across the sky and a bright Eta Aquarid meteor streaks across the center. Below is the top of Mount Bromo surrounded by clouds.

Eta Aquarid meteor shower 2024: Where, when and how to see it

By Daisy Dobrijevic last updated

Reference The Eta Aquarid meteor shower from late April to mid-May offers a long stretch of spectacular "shooting stars" that even a casual observer can spot in the night sky.

Asteroid Phaethon emitting its sodium tail as it passes the sun

The strange mystery of asteroid Phaethon's comet-like tail may have just been solved

By Robert Lea published

Astronomers observing the strange "rock comet" hybrid Phaethon as it passed the sun have found a surprise that could upend 14 years of thinking about the weird asteroid.

a timelapse photograph of the night sky showing several lyrid meteors streaking through the sky

Catch a falling star as the Lyrid meteor shower peaks tonight

By Robert Lea published

The Lyrid meteor shower peaks overnight on Saturday (April 22), offering skywatchers the opportunity to spot some fast and bright meteors as they streak through the night sky.

meteors streaking over a forest scene at night

The Lyrid meteor shower begins April 16 to light up the spring night sky

By Joe Rao published

The Lyrids are an annual display of fairly fast meteors that may be seen any night from April 16 to 25.

Lyrid meteor shower streaks across the sky with silhouetted trees in the foreground and the milky way stretching across the night sky in the background

Lyrid meteor shower 2024: When, where & how to see it

By Daisy Dobrijevic last updated

Reference The 2024 Lyrid meteor shower will occur between April 16-25 and peak on the night of April 22. A typical shower displays between five and 20 meteors per hour.

a bright meteorite streaks over a lake

Meteorite hunt! Museum offers $25k reward for fragment of Maine space rock

By Josh Dinner published

The Maine Mineral and Gem Museum in Bethel is offering a hefty reward for anyone who can produce a significant fragment of a fallen meteorite.

A fiery meteor flies through space towards planet Earth.

Scientists may have uncovered the oldest evidence of a meteoroid hitting Earth ever

By Sascha Pare published

Geologists have discovered the earliest evidence of a meteoroid collision with Earth: tiny fragments of melted rock that showered down on our planet 3.48 billion years ago.

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 wake up 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.

A meteor streaks through the sky above a snow-capped mountain.

Ursid meteor shower 2023: Everything you need to know

By Daisy Dobrijevic last updated

Reference The Ursid meteor shower will peak on Dec. 22-23 and is active between Dec. 17-26. Our guide tells you how and where you can spot the Ursid display.

During the Quadrantid meteor shower a meteor streaks across the star-studded sky with mountains below.

Quadrantid meteor shower: When, where & how to see it in 2024

By Daisy Dobrijevic last updated

Reference The Quadrantid meteor shower peaks on January 3-4 and is active between Dec. 28 and Jan. 12. Our guide tells you how and where you can see the Quadrantid display.

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.