Meteors, sometimes called shooting stars, are not stars at all, but small rocks burning up as they fall through Earth's atmosphere. Their super fast speed through the air causes them to burn up as they fall. 

The best time to observe meteors is during a big meteor shower. Although you might see a few meteors on any clear night. Meteor showers last for several nights. They happen when the Earth passes through the trail of debris left behind by a comet or asteroid. During the peak of a good shower, you may see as many as 100 meteors in an hour! However, on a typical night, you will probably see 6 meteors per hour. Extremely bright meteors often leave an afterglow along their trail, called a train.

Each day, 100 tonnes of rocks and dust enter our atmosphere. Luckily, most of these objects are so small that they burn up completely before reaching the ground. They are too small to be a danger. Some rocks are big enough that they do not get totally burnt up and reach the Earth's surface. Space rocks that land on the ground are called meteorites.

Most meteorites are pieces of asteroid. Though a few have come from the Moon and Mars! Meteorites contain a lot more metals than Earth rocks. This makes them more dense, so they will feel heavier than you expect them to be. The outside of a meteorite is usually smooth and black. This is called the fusion crust. It is made when the outside of the rock get hots and melts as it falls.

Plan your meteor spotting

You need dark skies! The less light around you the better, so try to move well away from buildings and street lights. Also, check the phase of the Moon! A bright full Moon will spoil your chances of seeing meteors. You can check today's phase of the Moon on our homepage. Make sure to wear warm clothes and be patient, you might not see any on your first try!

Calendar of Meteor Showers