Which types of space debris strike the Earth's atmosphere on a daily basis?
Answer
Microscopic dust and sand
Earth is constantly sweeping up debris left over from the formation of the solar system. The vast majority of this material consists of very small particles, such as dust and sand, which are typically less than one meter in size. These particles hit the atmosphere daily and burn up due to friction, creating the streaks of light known as 'shooting stars' or fireballs. While these events are frequent, they are entirely harmless and represent the baseline level of interaction between Earth and the surrounding debris in the solar system.
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