What is a meatoroid?

A meteoroid is a small rocky or metallic body that travels through space. Here's a breakdown:

* Size: Meteoroids are typically smaller than asteroids, ranging in size from dust particles to a few meters across.

* Origin: They can originate from various sources, including:

* Asteroids: Fragments broken off from asteroids.

* Comets: Debris left behind by comets as they orbit the sun.

* Other celestial bodies: Material ejected from planets, moons, or even other meteoroids.

* Orbit: Meteoroids travel in orbits around the Sun.

* Visible Phenomenon: When a meteoroid enters Earth's atmosphere, it burns up due to friction with the air, creating a streak of light called a meteor or "shooting star".

Key distinctions:

* Meteoroid: A space object before it enters Earth's atmosphere.

* Meteor: The streak of light produced by a meteoroid burning up in the atmosphere.

* Meteorite: A meteoroid that survives its journey through the atmosphere and reaches the Earth's surface.