Meteors: Nature's Fireworks - Voyageurs National Park (U.S. National Park Service) Shooting Stars. Here at Voyageurs, the dark skies offer an opportunity to appreciate not just stars, but shooting stars, also known as meteors. Throughout history, some people believed seeing a shooting star was an important event. Perhaps a wish made upon a shooting star would come true. Perhaps it was an omen of good or ill fortune. Perhaps it was simply beautiful. The material of most meteors comes from comets. Comets are made up of ice, dust, frozen gas and small rock particles. They range in size from a few hundred meters to tens of kilometers across. Comets travel around the sun, some taking hundreds or even thousands of years to complete a single orbit. When the comet's orbit brings it near enough to the Sun for the Sun's rays to warm it, the comet will display a visible atmosphere and sometimes develop a tail. As the comet heats up, it will leave a trail of solid debris behind it. As Earth passes through this trail of debris, a meteor shower can occur. Once you know where to look, head outside on a clear night. Move into a position where you can comfortably view as much of the sky as is possible. Nighttime temperatures can be cool, so dress warmly. Use a red-filtered flashlight to preserve your night vision.