Those who have had the experience of watching a shooting star streak toward the earth have found it exciting. Actually there are thousands heading our way most of the time, but they are only visible in the dark hours.
Shooting stars are more correctly known as meteors. They begin usually as broken or burned-off particles of comets streaming through space. Countless numbers of them eventually group together in what is called a meteoroid swarm, and when their orbits through space bring them near the earth, some are pulled away from the group by the earth's gravity. Although invisible until they enter our atmosphere, the friction of passing through air causes them to burn at white heat. This provides an outstanding streak of fire in the sky for just a brief moment. During that time most break and burn up completely before reaching the ground.
There are regular periods of these displays, which usually occur from midnight to six o'clock in the morning. Late July is one period, as well as early August, late October and the first week of January. (The meteor shower called Quadrantid is due January 3 every year.) Of course it's necessary to be away from bright lights to see them really well. And it's no use looking for them on a cloudy, rainy or foggy night, or even when a full moon is high in the sky.
It is estimated that thousands of tons of meteors enter the earth's atmosphere every year, and in just one of these displays there may be 200,000 or more visible in a six-hour period. It is quite common for a person to be able to see as many as 150 in an hour.
Larger ones, weighing five pounds or more, are sometimes involved, producing a much brighter display than the small ones. Some of these do land on the earth without completely burning up. Then they are called meteorites. They rarely result in any damage as most land in ocean waters, or deserts, forests, mountains, etc. Many museums have some on exhibit which were brought to them by hikers.
In a few instances some have been found that weighed several tons. Near Winslow, Arizona, a historic spot named Meteor Crater is a place where one of these landed long before Columbus arrived in America. The meteor itself is apparently buried deep in the ground, but has left behind it a huge crater that is well worth seeing.
Many things call our attention to the wonderful creation of the Lord God-so many we can never know them all. But perhaps in heaven He will unveil them, one by one, to those who will be there with Him.
Astronomers admit they don't have any idea how many stars there are, but the Bible tells us the Lord "telleth [counts] the number of the stars; He calleth them all by their names" (Psa. 147:44He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. (Psalm 147:4)). He has told those who love Him that He is their "bright and morning star" who will soon be coming for them. Will you be included?