Asteroid: A rocky object that orbits the sun. These can range between slightly smaller than a planet down to half a mile across.
Comet: An object made up of ice, dust and rocks that orbits the sun. When comets pass near the sun some of the ice vaporizes and a tail of water vapor and dust forms. The dust reflects sunlight and the gases ionize, making the comet and its tail visible on Earth.
Meteoroid: A particle as small as a grain of sand to 32 feet across that orbits the sun.
Meteor: The streak of light produced by a meteoroid as it enters and burns up in Earth's atmosphere. Sometimes called a shooting star.
Meteorite: A meteoroid that survives the trip through the Earth's atmosphere and strikes the ground.
Sources: NASA, International Astronomical Union
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