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Why are meteoroids often called 'shooting stars'?

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Shooting stars are actually objects burning in the Earth's atmosphere. The name "shooting star" originates from ancient times (before advanced scientific investigation) when these burning meteors were thought to actually be stars shooting across the night sky. read more

Meteors are not stars at all. They are CALLED "shooting stars" because superficially they look like stars that move (shoot). Meteors are gravel or boulders that enter the Earth's atmosphere at high velocity and friction with the atmosphere heats the outer layers so much that they become white hot (they glow and therefore look somewhat like stars). read more

This explosion often vaporizes whatever solid material is left of the meteoroid after its fiery flight through the atmosphere. Sometimes, however, pieces of the meteoroid survive and are found in the crater or nearby. These chunks of rock or metal are called meteorites. Meteors are not the same thing as comets. read more

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Source: accuweather.com