Meteor Lights Up the Skies Over Alberta

What is a Meteor?

A meteor is a streak of light in the sky caused by a small piece of debris from space, called a meteoroid, entering the Earth's atmosphere at high speed. The intense heat from the friction between the meteoroid and the atmosphere causes the meteoroid to glow and vaporize.

Meteors are often mistaken for shooting stars, but they are not the same thing. Shooting stars are actually pieces of rock or dust from comets that enter the Earth's atmosphere.

Meteor Over Alberta

On July 3, 2023, a bright meteor was seen streaking across the sky over Alberta, Canada. The meteor was reportedly visible for several seconds and left a long, glowing trail behind it.

Witnesses said the meteor was about the size of a fist and was traveling at a very high speed. Some people reported hearing a loud boom when the meteor entered the atmosphere.

What Causes a Meteor to Glow?

When a meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere, it is traveling at a very high speed. The friction between the meteoroid and the atmosphere causes the meteoroid to heat up and glow.

The color of the meteor depends on the composition of the meteoroid. Meteors that are rich in iron will glow red or orange. Meteors that are rich in magnesium will glow green. And meteors that are rich in sodium will glow yellow.

Why Do Meteors Leave a Trail?

When a meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere, it vaporizes and leaves a trail of glowing gas behind it. This trail is what we see when we look at a meteor.

The length of the trail depends on the size and speed of the meteoroid. Larger and faster meteoroids will leave longer trails.

What Happens to Meteors?

Most meteors are completely vaporized before they reach the ground. However, some larger meteors may survive the journey through the atmosphere and impact the Earth.

When a meteor impacts the Earth, it can create a crater. The size of the crater depends on the size of the meteor and the speed at which it was traveling.