Shooting stars: what they are and how they form New York New York State 94 Miami Beach Coast Guard Station Florida State 83 Boston Massachusetts 86 Chicago Illinois 85 °F Astronomy News Astronomy Shooting stars: what they are and how they form Shooting stars: what they are and how they form Often mistaken for stars, shooting stars are one of the most popular and beautiful astronomical phenomena to observe. Here we explain how they form and why they occur. These tiny bits of space can travel at speeds of up to 72 kilometers per second, or about 260,000 kilometers per hour. Pedro de la Fuente Meteored Spain 02/24/2025 10:19 PM 5 min Shooting stars, often seen as brief, spectacular flashes in the night sky, have fascinated mankind for centuries. They are not actually stars, but meteoroids that produce a luminous glow when they enter the Earth's atmosphere .In the following lines we will explain what shooting stars are , how they are formed and why they occur.What are shooting stars?Shooting stars, also known as meteors, are the result of small fragments of rock and space dust , called meteoroids, entering the Earth's atmosphere at high speed.️ La atmósfera terrestre es la responsable de que veamos estrellas fugaces cuando algo entra en ella y se desintegra. Y la magnetosfera del campo terrestre lo es del espectáculo de las auroras, cuando las partículas solares cargados chocan contra ella. — ️ Leonardo D'Anchiano (@HdAnchiano) When a meteoroid comes into contact with the atmosphere, the friction generates intense heat, causing the meteoroid to burn up and emit light , thus creating the bright flash we observe from Earth.Where do shooting stars come from?The formation of shooting stars begins long before they reach the Earth's atmosphere. The meteoroids that cause these phenomena come mainly from three sources: asteroids, comets and other celestial bodies that disintegrate in space.Asteroids. Asteroids are rocky bodies that orbit the Sun. As asteroids collide with each other, small fragments can break off and become meteoroids. These fragments remain in space until Earth's gravity pulls them into the atmosphere.Comets. Comets are icy bodies that also orbit the Sun. As they approach the Sun, the heat causes the ice to sublimate, releasing gas and dust. This dust can become scattered in the comet's orbit, and when Earth passes through this orbit, the fragments enter our atmosphere as meteoroids, creating meteor showers.Here's a list of major annual Meteor showers, when they happen, their peak, the comet/asteroid that creates their debris, and the period of that comet/asteroid (plus an interactive map for each!): Quadrantids, Dec 26 - Jan 16, Jan 4, Asteroid 2003 EH1, 5.52 years Lyrids, — Sophia Gad-Nasr (@Astropartigirl) Other celestial bodies: In addition to asteroids and comets, various cosmic events such as collisions of planets or moons can also generate meteoroids that eventually enter the Earth's atmosphere.This is how shooting stars are producedShooting stars occur when meteoroids enter the Earth's atmosphere at speeds that can vary between 11 and 72 kilometers per second.The high speed and friction with the air cause the meteoroid to heat up to the point of incandescence, producing the characteristic luminous trail of a shooting star.The advice to enjoy this event is to move to dark areas and take advantage of days without clouds or a full moon.Most meteoroids disintegrate completely before reaching the Earth's surface. However, those that manage to survive the descent and reach the ground are known as meteorites.Observation of shooting starsThe best times to observe shooting stars are during meteor showers , annual events when the Earth passes through dense streams of dust and debris left behind by comets. If possible, seek out locations away from light pollution.Related articleWhy do stars and planets rotate? Spin, an omnipresent movement in the universeSome of the most famous meteor showers are the Perseids, Geminids and Leonids.Perseids: This shower arrives every year in August and is one of the most active, with rates of up to 100 meteors per hour at its peak.Geminids: They occur in December and are known for their brilliance and for being visible in both hemispheres.Leonids : Occur in November and are famous for their spectacular meteor showers, although they are not predictable every year. Featured videos Follow us Latest news , So that’s that a shooting star is: a small lump of rock burning up on entry into Earth’s atmosphere. It’s not a star and, at the risk of upsetting any Italian toymakers, nor is it a magical portent that can be used to transform your new wooden puppet into a real boy., Shooting stars occur when meteoroids enter the Earth's atmosphere at speeds that can vary between 11 and 72 kilometers per second. The high speed and friction with the air cause the meteoroid to heat up to the point of incandescence, producing the characteristic luminous trail of a shooting star..