Meteoroids, Meteors, Asteroids, and Comets: Key Differences

• Meteoroids are small rocky or metallic objects that range in size from a grain of sand to a few meters across.

• They can be found throughout space and are remnants from the formation of the solar system.

• Meteoroids become meteors when they enter Earth’s atmosphere and create a streak of light due to friction.

• A meteor is a meteoroid that has entered Earth’s atmosphere and is burning up due to the intense heat generated by friction with the air.

• Also known as “shooting stars,” meteors produce a bright, streaking trail of light as they disintegrate.

• Most meteors completely burn up before reaching the Earth’s surface, but any remnants that land are called meteorites.

• Asteroids are larger chunks of rock or metal that orbit the Sun, primarily found in the asteroid belt, a region between Mars and Jupiter.

• They can vary significantly in size, from a few meters to hundreds of kilometers in diameter.

• Asteroids are made of rock or metal and do not generally produce visible tails when they approach the Sun.

• Comets are icy bodies that also orbit the Sun, but they are composed of a mixture of ices, dust, and rocky material.

• Comets are often referred to as “dirty snowballs” because of their icy composition.

• When comets approach the Sun, the heat causes the ices to vaporize, creating a glowing coma and a tail that points away from the Sun due to solar wind and radiation pressure.

In summary, meteoroids are small rocky or metallic objects in space, meteors are meteoroids that enter Earth’s atmosphere and produce visible streaks of light, asteroids are larger rocky or metallic objects that orbit the Sun, and comets are icy bodies that develop glowing comas and tails when they approach the Sun.
 

The Table