What is the term for a small body from outer space that enters Earth's atmosphere and appears as a streak of light?

• A. Meteor
• B. Asteroid
• C. Comet
• D. Moon

Answer: (A)

That streak across the sky is called a meteor. It happens when a small piece of debris from space enters Earth's atmosphere and heats up quickly due to air friction, creating a bright, glowing trail as it burns up—often seen as a shooting star. A asteroid is a rocky body that orbits the Sun in space and doesn’t become a bright streak in the atmosphere. A comet is a body made of ice and dust that develops a glowing coma and tail when it gets close to the Sun, visible in the sky but not because it’s burning up in our atmosphere. The Moon, meanwhile, is Earth's natural satellite that orbits our planet and isn’t created by a object entering the atmosphere.