What are meteors?
By Irina K. Romanovskaya
As particles of cosmic dust enter Earth’s atmosphere, they move almost 100 times faster than a rifle bullet. Such high-speed travel results in significant friction with the air, raising the temperature of these particles to more than 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,832 degrees Fahrenheit). Larger particles, over 2 millimeters in diameter, are heated to such an extent that they vaporize at an altitude of approximately 60 kilometers (37 miles) above Earth’s surface, creating the phenomenon that we know as a meteor. Particles of lesser diameter, being subject to less heating, survive the journey through Earth’s atmosphere and make it to the ground, where they settle.
A meteor shower is a celestial event in which many meteors are seen to radiate from one point in the night sky. Meteor showers happen when our planet passes through the debris left behind by comets or asteroids. Examples of well-known meteor showers include the Perseids, the Geminids, and the Leonids. The Leonids can produce thousands of meteors in a single hour.
Meteor showers are a stunning celestial spectacle that can be observed with the naked eye. They can also provide information about the nature and origin of comets and asteroids.
Copyright © Irina K. Romanovskaya. All rights reserved.