Meteors, also known as "shooting stars" and "falling stars," are tiny particles of space debris that enter the Earth's atmosphere. Meteors can reach 3000 degrees Fahrenheit on entry. If the meteor makes it to the ground before it disintegrates on entry it is called a meteorite.
In June 2009, a 14-year-old German boy was hit in the hand by a pea-sized meteorite that left a small scar. According to the director of the Walter Hohmann Observatory in Essen, Germany, the rock that struck the boy was indeed a meteorite. Others, such as Darryl Pitt, curator of the Macovich Collection of Meteorites, have disputed this claim, calling it "theoretically impossible".MSNBC: Teen knocked down ... by a meteorite? (June 12, 2009)
Meteor Showers
A large collection of meteors falling at the same time is known as a meteor shower. Meteor showers are visible on most nights, appearing in the sky hourly. They are best viewed away from bright city lights. The darker the night sky, the better.
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Fast Facts
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Also known as "shooting stars" and "falling stars"
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Average meteor weighs an estimated 0.0005 ounces
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Can travel faster than 10 miles per second
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Large amounts of meteors falling together is known as a meteor shower
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Extremely bright meteors are called fireballs
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Meteors that reach the ground are called meteorites
