Column: Nature Notes - SHOOTING STARS

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In fact, this phenomenon has nothing to do with stars, but is actually caused by tiny bits of rock, debris and dust called meteoroids entering the Earth
In fact, this phenomenon has nothing to do with stars, but is actually caused by tiny bits of rock, debris and dust called meteoroids entering the Earth's atmosphere. As they enter the atmosphere the meteoroids burn up and produce a bright tail of light which is called a meteor. Most meteoroids disintegrate in the atmosphere, but some solid particles, composed of strong material, travelling at lower entry speeds may survive the burning and hit the Earth; they are called meteorites; they cool and do not emit visible light. Shooting stars’ trail of light is produced because meteoroids hit the Earth’s atmosphere at very high velocities and strong drag forces are created. As it collides with the air molecules, compression heats the meteoroid and the surrounding air and causes the surface of the particle to glow as it melts and is transformed into gas. Atmospheric gases in the path of the meteoroid are heated and become ionised. The colours of a shooting star can indicate the minerals present - iron glows yellow