A meteor is a space rock—a meteoroid—that enters Earth's atmosphere. As the meteoroid falls toward Earth, the resistance—or drag—of the air on the rock makes it extremely hot. What we see is a "shooting star." That bright streak is not the rock itself, but rather the hot air around the rock.

Meteors usually happen between 50 and 75 miles above the Earth's surface.

Most meteors burn up completely before reaching the ground. When a meteoroid survives its trip through the atmosphere and hits the ground, it's called a meteorite.

Key points:

• Meteoroid: A space rock.
• Meteor: A meteoroid that enters Earth's atmosphere.
• Meteorite: A meteoroid that survives its trip through the atmosphere and hits the ground.

For more information, you can visit the NASA website on meteors:NASA - Meteors