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shooting star

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shooting star, in astronomy

shooting star, in astronomy: see meteor meteor, appearance of a small particle flying through space that interacts with the earth's upper atmosphere. While still outside the atmosphere, the particle is known as a meteoroid. Countless meteoroids of varying sizes are moving about the solar system at any time.
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shooting star, in botany

shooting star, in botany: see primrose primrose, common name for the genus Primula of the Primulaceae, a family of low perennial herbs with species found on all continents, most frequently in north temperate regions.
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meteor

 or shooting star or falling star

Streak of light in the sky that results when a particle or small chunk of stony or metallic matter from space enters Earth's atmosphere and is vapourized by friction. The term is sometimes applied to the falling object itself, properly called a meteoroid. Most meteoroids, traveling at five times the speed of sound or more, burn up in the upper atmosphere, but a large one may survive its fiery plunge and reach the surface as a solid body (meteorite). See also meteor shower.

shooting star [′shüd·iŋ ′stär]
(astronomy)
A small meteor that has the brief appearance of a darting, starlike object.
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But very early in the morning poor Ogilvy, who had seen the shooting star and who was persuaded that a meteorite lay somewhere on the common between Horsell, Ottershaw, and Woking, rose early with the idea of finding it.
The War Of The Worlds by Wells, H.G. View in context
"I wonder whether it's a shooting star," remarked Miss Dorn.
The Four Million by Henry, O. View in context
The sword flew from his hand like a shooting star, and dived into the distant river.
The Innocence Of Father Brown by Chesterton, Gilbert K. View in context
 
 
 
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