Small piece of material from
interplanetary space as well as source of
superstition. Ever since humans discovered falling stars they gave them imaginative names like: ‘
dance of the stars’, ‘
golden rain’, and ‘carbonized pieces of
cotton' that fell back on earth after the angels used them to polish up the stars. In old
Greece falling stars were believed to be rising or falling human
souls.
Aristophanes spoke of ‘
souls of poor people, drunkenly walking home after they had dinner at a rich star’. According to
Jewish and
Christian tradition fallen stars reflect
fallen angels and
demons.
Nowadays, in certain parts of Asia people believe a falling star is a bad omen: the ‘tears from the moon about the lost sunbride’ would predict war, death or demise of a close person. According to more common belief though, it’s a good omen, cause when one makes a wish when one sees a falling star, the wish will come true.