Shooting Stars

A 'shooting star' is a well-known nickname for the visible paths of meteoroids when they enter the atmosphere and become meteors. Meteors have a range of sizes, from grains of sand to massive boulders. If a meteor reaches the ground AND survives the impact then it's called a meteorite. Meteor showers are events when lots of meteors start falling towards the earth from one point in the sky. But don't worry, because most meteors are only the size of a grain of sand and vaporize in the earth's atmosphere before hitting the ground. The next meteor shower that's going to happen is the Lyrids on the night of April 21st. You won't be able to see it in a big city, so you'll want to drive away from all the city lights. You know you're far enough away if you can see all the stars in the Little Dipper. Don't forget, if you see a shooting star, make a wish!