Material Detail

While commonly referred to as 'shooting stars', meteors and meteor showers are, in fact, unrelated to stars. Instead, these streaks of light are the glow of interplanetary debris crashing into Earth's atmosphere. This animated video introduces students to shooting stars and the reasons behind annual meteor showers. Topics include the difference between sporadic meteors and meteor showers, how comets release debris that enter our atmosphere when Earth crosses the path of a comet's orbit, and when is the best time of night to see a meteor display. A background essay and list of discussion questions are also provided.

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