Why do meteors glow?

Meteoroids (meteors traveling in space) can orbit the Sun at a velocity of up to 42 kilometers per second (26 miles per second). When these meteoroids encounter the Earth, they may enter the atmosphere a speeds up to 72 kilometers per second (45 miles per second). read more

Meteor showers are one of nature’s most brilliant spectacles, each one bringing a unique experience for stargazers, including meteors glowing in a rainbow of colors. Meteor showers occur several times a year when the Earth passes through a field of debris, such as particles from asteroids or grains of dust from a comet. read more

This, in turn, heats the meteoroid which causes it to glow and become a meteor. If it is small, it will completely vapourise at this point, high in the atmosphere. read more