Meteora is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Greece, consisting of Eastern Orthodox monasteries on sandstone pillars up to 550m tall. Six monasteries remain, founded by hermits in the 9th century and later by monks seeking refuge from the Turks. Meteora now relies heavily on tourism. Meteora is the name given to a number of […]
A meteor is a bright light seen when a meteoroid enters Earth’s atmosphere, usually from an asteroid. The heat produced by piston pressure causes the light. Meteoroids can come from comets, the Moon, or Mars, and if they survive the fall to Earth, they are called meteorites. Most meteoroids are too small to be seen […]
Comets and meteors are different celestial objects. Comets are made of space dust and frozen gases, while meteors are pieces of rock or debris. Comets follow an orbit and release a trail of dust particles, while meteors enter the Earth’s atmosphere and burn up. Comets rarely pass close to Earth, while meteors can enter the […]
Meteor showers occur when Earth passes through a debris field left by a comet, resulting in hundreds or thousands of meteoroids burning up in the atmosphere. They are a popular event for amateur astronomers and best viewed away from city lights on a moonless night. Meteor storms, a more intense version of a shower, are […]
