It is sometimes called a shooting star or a falling star .
Most meteors burn up before hitting the Earth .
Only large meteors can survive the trip through our atmosphere. Most meteors glow for only a few seconds before they burn up. A sonic boom often follows a fireball. Meteor Web Links Meteors from NASA Meteors from New England Meteoritical Services. As stated in our privacy policy , we fully respect your privacy and will not use your e-mail address for any purpose other than the newsletter subscription.