Definition
A small fragment of solid matter from space that enters the Earth's atmosphere at high speed and produces a visible streak of light as it heats up and burns due to friction with the air. If any portion survives the descent and reaches the ground, the surviving piece is called a meteorite.
Plain English
A piece of rock or metal from space that streaks through the sky as a bright trail of light when it hits the Earth's atmosphere and burns up.
Context Anchor
Seen in night flying, night-sky observation, and general discussions of objects or lights visible outside the aircraft.
Derivation
From the Greek 'meteoros,' meaning 'high in the air' or 'lifted up.' The same root gives us 'meteorology' -- the study of things that happen in the atmosphere. Knowing this helps explain why a word for a space rock shares a root with weather science: both are about phenomena occurring in the sky.
Why Pilots Care
A meteor is usually not a hazard to an aircraft, but recognizing one can prevent a pilot from mistaking a brief streak or flash for another aircraft, lightning, or a signal light.
Grounding Statement
At night, a meteor may appear as a fast, bright streak that lasts only a moment and then disappears.
Intuition Check
A meteor is not a star, even though people often call it a “shooting star.” It is also not the piece found on the ground; that is a meteorite, meaning a piece that survived the fall.
Example Sentence 1
The crew reported seeing a bright meteor pass above the aircraft during the night cruise leg.
Example Sentence 2
Meteors are rarely a factor in flight planning but can briefly distract a pilot scanning for traffic at night.