What is a Shooting Star?

It’s always exciting to see a flash of light and a star “shooting” across the sky. But what is a shooting star, exactly? Well, firstly, a shooting star is not a star. In fact, that bright streak of light caused by tiny bits of dust and rocks called meteoroids burning up as they fall into the Earth’s atmosphere.

In “Starfish and Space Dust”, the second adventure in the illustrated children’s book series about the adventures of Morgan and Little Fly, Morgan also encounters some of the mysteries of the sky. He asks his mom and dad all about stars, planets and shooting stars. In the end, he and his friend find out the answers by meeting a wise old Starfish after an adventure that takes them through lagoons and rock pools in the South African resort of Plettenberg Bay.

What is a shooting star?

http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/questions

When to look for shooting stars

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/
showers_andstars_000809.html

What is a shooting star? Ask an astronomer

http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/question.php?number=249 Has your child ever asked, “what is a shooting star?” Have them read Starfish and Spacedust to find an answer. Get your copy now!