These are nothing more or less than dust particles thrown from volcanic eruptions on some planet, and in countless numbers drifting through time and space till sucked into the atmosphere of some other orb.
Whoever doubts the influence of friction ought to be convinced by watching these meteoric specks falling through our atmosphere of a clear evening, although the process goes on as much in day as night time.
While falling in space this dust must gain an inconceivable speed, as a feather without resistance falls as rapidly as a ball of lead.
The contact with our atmosphere ignites and evidently consumes them into gas before reaching the Earth. They used to be called falling stars, but if they were of inferior magnitude it is quite probable there would have been many a badly bumped head before this time, from the numbers that have fallen.