Approximately how close to the planet's surface do meteors burn up entirely?
Answer
Within about 50 to 75 miles of the planet's surface
The phenomenon described as a 'falling star' is an atmospheric event, not an interstellar occurrence. The debris that constitutes a meteor enters the Earth's atmosphere at high speed and, due to friction with the air, heats up and vaporizes. This entire process of glowing and disintegrating occurs relatively close to the ground level, specifically stated to be within a narrow band situated between approximately 50 to 75 miles above the planet's surface. This altitude defines the upper limit where the atmosphere is dense enough to cause visible ablation but far above the ground.
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