Question

What can be described as a shooting star that streaks across the sky in a brief flash of light

Answer 1

A shooting star is actually a meteor, which is a small particle from space that burns up upon entering the Earth's atmosphere, creating a bright flash of light as it travels at high speeds. This phenomenon occurs when debris, often from comets or asteroids, collides with the Earth's atmosphere and vaporizes due to the intense heat generated by friction with the air. The term "shooting star" is a popular name, though meteors are not stars at all; they are illuminated particles from outer space.