2006-07-26 09:22:47 · 13 answers · asked by jusme 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
A shooting star is a piece of space debris, that burns up as it passes through the earth's atmosphere. Some objects just glance of the atmoshere and back into space, some come down to earth. Most of them are so small that they completely burn up in the atmosphere, some larger objects reach ground - these are called meteorites. So a shooting star is only a within 75 miles or so.
2006-07-26 09:26:18 · answer #1 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A shooting star is a piece of rock that has fallen into our atmosphere and burned.
It is on average tens of miles away.
The light takes less than a second to reach our eyes.
2006-07-26 09:27:42 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most shooting stars are neither stars nor shooting, that is, traveling across the heavens.
Most shooting stars are nothingmore than large meteorites entering the atmosphere and burning up. Most burn up completely before hitting the ground.
As the burning piece travels downward, to many, the arc of the light appears to be across the sky, thus giving the shooting star it's unique look.
2006-07-26 09:27:31 · answer #3 · answered by Marvinator 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A shooting star is simply a meteorite entering Earth's atmosphere and burning up. The light you see is from the plasmatic air forming around the meteorite as it enters and breaks up.
It begins to burn as the edge of the atmosphere which is approximately 120 km above the Earth... at that distance it takes less than a second for the light to hit your eyes.
2006-07-26 09:30:26 · answer #4 · answered by AresIV 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a shooting star is a piece of space dust, a small metrorite passing through the earths atmosphere at incredible speeds. i'd say 10/15 miles, the light from this event travels to us at
299,792,458 mtrs per second so not very long
2006-07-26 09:28:48 · answer #5 · answered by lumpy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A shooting star is a small meteorite burning up as it enters the earths atmosphere,
2006-07-26 09:28:06 · answer #6 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A shooting star is a micro metor that burn up on entry into the atmosphere so is very close in cosmic terms
2006-07-26 09:27:08 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm 56 and I always thought shooting stars were light years away. Fascinating!
2014-11-17 01:00:53 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Those who say it takes a second for the meteor's light to reach your eyes are just guessing.
At only 10s of miles above you, the light will get to you in a fraction of a milli-second.
2006-07-26 14:14:13 · answer #9 · answered by nick s 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the shooting star reaches your eyes....... THAT'S REALLY GONNA HURT! :)
2006-07-26 09:38:55 · answer #10 · answered by Weasel 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋