My daughter(6 yrs old) would like to know what a meteor, asteroid, and shooting star is.?

Question

I tried to explain it to her, but how do you explain it to a 6 yr old and have her understand. Are there any children scince books that could help??

Answer 1

Asteroids are pieces of solid material (depending on type, they can be made out of metal, ice and dust etc) remnant form the formation of the solar sistem. When an asteroid has an Earth-crossing orbit, it becomes a meteor - a moving asteroid. When such a meteor enters the Earth's atmosphere and burns up in the process, it turns into a shooting star - which is, in effect, the disintegrating meteor that falls through the atmosphere and is burned to dust. Small meteorites fall in the dozens every day on the surface of the earth and they pose no threat. Some shooting stars may even be falling disabled sattlites or rocket parts.

Answer 2

"An asteroid is a predominantly rocky body that orbits around its star."

Meteors and shooting stars are one in the same. "A meteor is the visible path of a meteoroid that enters the Earth's (or another body's) atmosphere, commonly called a shooting star or falling star."

Answer 3

Incidentally, you did not ask but:
A Meteorite is a meteor that manages to survive impact with the Earth.

Answer 4

these are burning stones big and small that is fair answer for six year old. if she asks why they burn tell that in sky anything fly faster than airplane burns.