Is Meteor Rain Hazardous To Earth? Here's The Scientific Explanation

Geminid Meteor Rain (photo: dock. NASA)

YOGYAKARTA - There are a number of celestial phenomena that present extraordinary views at night. One of them is the meteor shower phenomenon that occurs every year. However, many questions arise, is meteor shower dangerous?

The meteor shower phenomenon can be seen with the naked eye or without the help of tools. About 48.5 tons of meteorites fall to Earth every day, reported by NASA Solar System Exploration. Throughout the year there has always been a meteor shower that has fallen to earth.

Although there is always a meteor shower every year, this phenomenon does not cause damage on the earth's surface. Meteorite that falls to the earth generally has a small size ranging from dust size to large rock shape, reported by NASA Space Place.

Small meteor showers make this phenomenon not dangerous for earth conditions. While larger meteorites are also harmless because the earth is protected by a mesosphere layer. This layer is about 50 to 80 kilometers above the earth's surface.

When a meteorite falls to the earth, this celestial object will swipe with the mesosphere layer. This shock produces heat to flames. This shock also made the meteorites burn.

The friction from meteorites with a mesosphere layer will produce bright traces in the sky. This sighting is called the phenomenon of falling stars and presents beautiful views that can be seen by human eyes.

The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) said that meteor showers did not harm the earth because the dust left by the comet caught fire at an altitude above 80 km. So it doesn't threaten the earth, but instead shows beautiful views in the sky.

How big is the falling meteorite that endangers the earth? Earth can still be protected from falling meteorites measuring up to 25 meters in diameter thanks to the presence of an atmospheric layer. So the meteor will not reach Earth and will not cause major damage.

Meteors larger than 25 meters and smaller than one kilometer could cause local damage to the fallen area on earth. Damage to global effects on the earth could occur if a falling meteorite measuring one or two kilometers in diameter.

However, the meteors in the main belt do not have that big size. So the meteor showers that occur throughout the year are only small meteorites and do not threaten the earth.

Meteor showers can be seen with the naked eye at night. In the sky there will be views like a bright falling star. The best locations for seeing a meteor shower are in the area of lack of light and a wide view into the sky. The ideal places to see this phenomenon are the field, rice fields, towers, or hills, and of course when the weather is clear.

That's an explanation of whether meteor showers are dangerous. The meteor shower phenomenon that occurs every year does not cause danger to the earth. The meteors that fall do not cause a collision due to burning while through the earth.

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