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 world's largest Martian meteorite, Taoudenni 002.

World's largest Martian meteorite goes on display

By Harry Baker published

The largest piece of Martian rock on Earth, weighing around 32 pounds, has gone on display for the first time, at a museum in Maine.

A Taurid fireball descends in glowing aurora over Lake Simcoe in southern Ontario, Canada, on Nov. 9, 2015.

Taurid meteor shower: Winter fireballs

By Stuart Atkinson published

The Taurid meteor shower is relatively sparse, but may display impressive fireballs.

Perseids

Perseid meteor shower of 2021 thrills skywatchers

By Elizabeth Howell published

You'll have to wait two more years for a great "shooting star" show in August.

A Perseid meteor is seen above desert poplar plants in Korla, China, on Aug. 12, 2021.

Amazing photos of the 2021 Perseid meteor shower

By Hanneke Weitering published

The annual Perseid meteor shower, one of the best displays of "shooting stars" this year, put on a spectacular show for skywatchers around the world.

A 30-second exposure view of the 2021 Perseids from Spruce Knob, West Virginia, taken on Aug. 11, 2021..

Perseid meteor shower of 2021, likely the best of the year, is peaking now!

By Meghan Bartels published

The stunning Perseid meteor shower will peak tonight (Aug. 11) in what could well be the most brilliant "shooting star" display of the year.

A Perseid meteor streaks across the night sky in this 30-second exposure captured from West Virginia, on Aug. 11, 2021.

Here's the US weather forecast for the Perseid meteor shower's peak tonight

By Joe Rao published

Clouds and smoke could foil the view for some skywatchers.

The Virtual Telescope Project will host a free live webcast of the Perseid meteor shower on Aug. 11, 2021.

Perseid meteor shower 2021 webcasts: How to watch the 'shooting stars' at their peak live tonight

By Elizabeth Howell published

There are plenty of opportunities to see the Perseid meteor shower at its peak this week, even if you can't see any "shooting stars" in person.

Watch early Perseid meteors light up the night in video from NASA's All-sky Fireball Network

By Elizabeth Howell published

Fireballs blaze through the dark night sky in this NASA footage of the annual Perseid meteor shower.

Geminid Fireball Near Orion

Geminid Meteor Shower: Dust From an Asteroid

By Elizabeth Howell published

The Geminids come from an asteroid, 3200 Phaethon, but scientists are still trying to figure out exactly how it sheds enough debris to produce the bright meteor shower.

A fish-eye view of Perseid meteors in 2016 as seen from West Virginia.

Perseid meteor shower peaks this month! New moon bodes well for skywatchers.

By Joe Rao published

Perseid meteors are already beginning to fall in a display that promises to dazzle skywatchers this month.

A view of a brilliant fireball that let up the night sky over North Texas on July 25, 2021.

Fireball streaks across North Texas, creating light show and sonic boom

By Stephanie Pappas published

A fireball streaked across North Texas last night, leading to several hundred witness reports of a bright flash and sonic boom.

The meteor, travelling up to 43200 miles per hour, lit up the night sky as if it were daytime.

Flashing meteor that exploded over Norway landed somewhere in a nearby forest

By Ben Turner published

Scientists believe the ultra-fast object landed in a densely-forested area near the capital, Oslo. It could take up to ten years to find.

The meteoroid stream of Comet Thatcher.

Scientists track meteor shower to unusual comet seen every 4,000 years

By Meghan Bartels published

Meteor showers are the dazzling result of cometary debris building up along well-worn paths through the solar system, then burning up in Earth's atmosphere as our planet crosses that dust trail.

Fragments of the Sutter’s Mill meteorite, collected by NASA Ames and SETI Institute meteor astronomer Dr. Peter Jenniskens in the evening of Tuesday April 24, 2012 two days after the fall. In a 2021 study, researchers have detected liquid water in minerals in fragments of this meteorite.

Scientists find liquid water inside a meteorite, revealing clues about the early solar system

By Chelsea Gohd published

Scientists have spotted water in a primitive meteorite, expanding our understanding of the ancient solar system.

Brilliant fireball spotted over Minnesota by doorbell cameras

By Elizabeth Howell published

A probable fireball lit up the skies above the Minneapolis-St. Paul area early Sunday morning (May 9), at 3 a.m. local time, according to reports.

Astrophotographer Sébastien Joly sent in a photo of a Taurid meteor captured over Lake Cerknica in Slovenia, on Nov. 10, 2015.

Surprise meteor shower! 'Finlay-id' 'shooting stars' will appear for the first time in 2021.

By Doris Elin Urrutia published

A never-before-seen meteor shower will sprinkle tiny pieces of comet dust over Earth's southernmost regions later this year.

Justin Ng of Singapore captured this view of a bright Eta Aquarid meteor hurtling across the night sky over Mount Bromo, on the Indonesian island of Java.

The Eta Aquarid meteor shower of 2021 peaks this week. Here's how to see it.

By Joe Rao published

Fragment of asteroid 2018 LA recovered in Central Kalahari Game Reserve in central Botswana.

Meteorite that landed in Botswana tracked to its birthplace in the asteroid belt

By Nicoletta Lanese published

The space rock fragments originally came from Vesta, scientists concluded.

A Lyrid meteor lights up the sky over Schermbeck, Germany, on April 22, 2020.

The Lyrid meteor shower of 2021 peaks tonight! Here's how to see it.

By Elizabeth Howell published

One of springtime's most prominent "shooting star" groups peaks overnight tonight (April 21-22).

Scientists have baked meteorites in a new study investigating the atmospheres of rocky planets.

Scientists baked meteorites in an oven to investigate the atmospheres of alien planets

By Chelsea Gohd published

Scientists baked meteorites in an oven and studied the gases they released to investigate the atmospheres of rocky planets.