Meteorii

Meteorii, commonly known as shooting stars, are streaks of light observed in the night sky when small particles of interplanetary debris, called meteoroids, enter the Earth's atmosphere at high speed. The friction between the meteoroid and the air causes it to heat up and glow, creating the visible trail.

Most meteoroids are no larger than a grain of sand, and they burn up completely in the atmosphere. Larger meteoroids can produce brighter and more spectacular fireballs, sometimes accompanied by sonic booms. If a meteoroid is large enough to survive its passage through the atmosphere and strike the Earth's surface, the remaining fragment is called a meteorite.

Meteoroids originate from various sources, including comets and asteroids. As comets travel through the solar system, they shed dust and debris, forming trails that the Earth can pass through. Asteroids can also collide, fragmenting and sending pieces into orbits that intersect with Earth's. The frequency of meteor showers is tied to Earth's orbit around the sun, as it repeatedly passes through these debris streams. Observing meteor showers is a popular astronomical activity.