Read the text and choose the correct answer.
A "shooting star" is not actually a star. When people see one, they are really seeing a meteor fall toward Earth.
Meteors come from outer space. Frozen lumps of dust, rocks, and gas move through our solar system. They orbit the sun like planets do. The sun's heat warms these lumps, causing pieces of dust and rock to break away from them. These pieces can enter the earth's atmosphere and catch on fire. Once they do, they become meteors. As a meteor burns, it leaves a trail of light behind it. That light is what people see when there is a "shooting star" in the sky.
Sometimes there are a lot of shooting stars at once. These events are known as meteor showers. They happen when the earth moves through an area of outer space with lots of dust and rocks. Sometimes a meteor doesn't completely burn up in the sky. It falls all the way to Earth. When it hits the ground, it is known as a meteorite.
Most meteorites look a lot like rocks on Earth. They are usually no bigger than your hand. One difference, though, is that many meteorites have a burned look on the outside. Can you guess why?
