A meteoroid is a piece of debris similar to a rock or metal that travels in outer space. Most meteoroids are smaller than a human fist, if a meteoroid enters Earth's atmosphere, it will begin to heat and shine. At that time it is called meteor.
Shooting stars are really meteors; pieces of material that fall through the Earth's atmosphere and in their precipitation are heated to incandescence by the friction of the air. These meteors leave light trails as they pass through the atmosphere of Earth and the sky; those trails are more visible at night and generally invisible during the day, due to sunlight.
Most of the original object burns before hitting the planet's surface. Any remaining piece that hits Earth is called a meteorite.
A meteor can break into pieces during its fall, and if these pieces touch the surfaace of the Earth, they are also called meteorites; a meteorite can create a hole or crater in the earth when it hits it. The bigger the meteorite, the bigger the hole.
Etymologically, the term meteor comes from the Greek μετέωρος (meteors), which means "phenomenon in the sky"
Josher
March 24, 2019
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