Perseids Aren’t Falling Stars! | Space Song for Kids

Do stars really fall out of the sky? No — they're tiny grains of cosmic dust! Real stars are enormous; they don't fall A traveling comet left these grains Swift–Tuttle loops around the Sun With ice and dust and little bits of rock Scattering a long trail as it goes Each year Earth crosses that dusty stream July through August; most near mid-August A comet leaves a trail of dust Earth crosses that trail every year No stars are falling — night lights up! Perseids draw bright lines above Tiny travelers plunge through the air At fifty-nine kilometers per second Collisions and compressed gas heat them Grains and nearby air glow for a moment Most burn up high in the atmosphere They seem to stream from Perseus — hence the name A comet leaves a trail of dust Earth crosses that trail every year No stars are falling — night lights up! Perseids draw bright lines above Find a safe, dark place far from bright lights On a blanket, scan wide — no telescope Phone away; give your eyes about half an hour A comet leaves a trail of dust Earth crosses that trail every year No stars are falling — night lights up! Wish at the flash — a playful tradition