Comet vs. Meteor: What's the Difference?
They're easy to mix up because both can streak across the sky, but they're very different things. A comet is a large icy, dusty body that orbits the Sun; when it nears the Sun it grows a glowing tail and can be visible for weeks. A meteor is the brief flash of light — a 'shooting star' — made when a small piece of space rock or dust burns up in Earth's atmosphere in a second or two. A comet is the object; a meteor is the event.
See the difference, explained visually.
Watch a 2-minute animated lesson comparing comet and meteor.
At a glance
| Comet | Meteor | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | An icy body orbiting the Sun | A streak of light in the sky |
| Made of | Ice, dust, and rock | A burning bit of rock/dust |
| Where | Far out in the solar system | In Earth's atmosphere |
| How long visible | Days to weeks | A second or two |
| Example | Halley's Comet | A meteor shower 'shooting star' |
Which should you use?
Comet
It's a comet when you mean the actual icy object orbiting the Sun, often with a long glowing tail.
Meteor
It's a meteor when you mean the quick flash of light as a particle burns up in the atmosphere — a shooting star.
Frequently asked questions
- Is a shooting star a comet or a meteor?
- A meteor. Despite the name, a 'shooting star' isn't a star or a comet — it's a small piece of debris burning up in the atmosphere, lasting just a moment.
- Do comets cause meteor showers?
- Yes — many meteor showers happen when Earth passes through the dusty trail left behind by a comet, and those particles burn up as meteors.
- What's the difference between a meteor and a meteorite?
- A meteor is the streak of light; if a fragment survives the fall and lands on the ground, that piece is called a meteorite.