What is commonly called a “shooting star” in the night sky?

Fact

Did you know?

A shooting star is the light phenomenon called a meteor. It occurs when a small fragment of rock or metal, called a meteoroid before its entry, passes through the atmosphere at high speed. The air placed in front of the object is strongly compressed and heated, while material is torn from its surface; ionized air and ablation products form the visible trail. If a fragment reaches the ground, it becomes a meteorite. Meteor showers occur when Earth passes through streams of dust, often left behind by comets. Talking only about friction therefore oversimplifies the process.