What is a Meteor? NASA explains what this fiery and fascinating object is about

Amid the fascinating meteor sightings these past few months, you should know the basics about it. NASA explains what is a meteor.

Have you ever seen a streak of light across the sky? If you have, then it is most likely that you witnessed a meteor sighting. But what is a meteor? There are so many celestial objects in space that it is easy to get confused and blur the lines between different objects. (Pixabay)

photos

1/6 Have you ever seen a streak of light across the sky? If you have, then it is most likely that you witnessed a meteor sighting. But what is a meteor? There are so many celestial objects in space that it is easy to get confused and blur the lines between different objects. (Pixabay)

Meteor: According to NASA, Meteors are objects in space which enter Earth’s atmosphere at high speed and burn up, and are visible in the form of fireballs or “shooting stars”. But meteors are not actually stars. (Pixabay)

2/6 Meteor: According to NASA, Meteors are objects in space which enter Earth’s atmosphere at high speed and burn up, and are visible in the form of fireballs or “shooting stars”. But meteors are not actually stars. (Pixabay)

Sometimes meteors can even appear brighter than Venus and are then called “fireballs”. These fireball sightings can easily fool people into confusing a meteor with a comet. (Pixabay)

3/6 Sometimes meteors can even appear brighter than Venus and are then called “fireballs”. These fireball sightings can easily fool people into confusing a meteor with a comet. (Pixabay)

NASA says that nearly 48.5 tons of meteoritic material falls on Earth every day. When meteor material falls on Earth, most of it burns up while entering the atmosphere, leaving behind trails of shooting stars. According to NASA, this phenomenon is known as a Meteor Shower. Several meteors per hour can usually be seen on any given night. When there are many meteors, it might mean that you’re witnessing a meteor shower. (Pixabay)

4/6 NASA says that nearly 48.5 tons of meteoritic material falls on Earth every day. When meteor material falls on Earth, most of it burns up while entering the atmosphere, leaving behind trails of shooting stars. According to NASA, this phenomenon is known as a Meteor Shower. Several meteors per hour can usually be seen on any given night. When there are many meteors, it might mean that you’re witnessing a meteor shower. (Pixabay)

Meteor showers are generally named after the constellation it originated in. One of the most famous showers are Perseids, which peak around August 12 every year. Every Perseid meteor is a tiny piece of the comet Swift-Tuttle, which swings by the Sun every 135 years. (NASA)

5/6 Meteor showers are generally named after the constellation it originated in. One of the most famous showers are Perseids, which peak around August 12 every year. Every Perseid meteor is a tiny piece of the comet Swift-Tuttle, which swings by the Sun every 135 years. (NASA)

Meteors have been responsible for some of the biggest events in history, with the most famous being the Chelyabinsk meteor disaster which entered Earth's atmosphere over the southern Ural region in Russia on February 15, 2013. (NASA)

6/6 Meteors have been responsible for some of the biggest events in history, with the most famous being the Chelyabinsk meteor disaster which entered Earth's atmosphere over the southern Ural region in Russia on February 15, 2013. (NASA)