Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This After Effects tutorial shows you how to create a meteor shower or rocket debris effect, inspired by the SpaceX Starship explosion in January 2025. We’ll start by making a simple shooting star, then modify it into a comet or asteroid, and finally create a shower of meteors burning up in the atmosphere—no plugins needed! This tutorial moves fast — be ready to learn a lot about Adobe After Effects and the CC Particle World effect, and when you're done, you'll have an awesome animation!
To download AfterGlow and Creation Lens Flares, go to creationeffects.com and head to the "Freebies" page. These two 100% free tools are optional but will enhance the tutorial animation and elevate your future projects.
AfterGlow (free download) – An installable preset for a larger, more intense glow in After Effects
Creation Lens Flares (free download) – An AE template with 50 customizable lens flares
Sky image link (free download) – pixabay.com/photos/sunset-sky-sun-light-clouds-7446150
Tree image link (free download) – pixabay.com/zh/photos/tree-poland-summer-evening-sunset-5330308
Make space animations with Space Effects: creationeffects.com/space-effects
Make 3D landscapes with Landscaper: creationeffects.com/landscaper
Make custom bird animations with Flocks: creationeffects.com/flocks
EXPRESSIONS: Put the following three expressions in the Producer section of the CC Particle World effect. Make sure a Layer Control is on the layer named "Follow Layer", and set it to the Null layer you want to follow.
Position X:
x = effect("Follow Layer")("Layer").transform.position[0]/thisLayer.width;
value - (thisLayer.width/2)/thisLayer.width + x;
Position Y:
x = effect("Follow Layer")("Layer").transform.position[1]/thisLayer.width;
value - (thisLayer.height/2)/thisLayer.width + x;
Position Z:
x = effect("Follow Layer")("Layer").transform.position[2]/thisLayer.width;
value - (thisLayer.width/2)/thisLayer.width + x + 0.5;
To make your lens flare follow your comet or meteor, put the following expression on the "Lens Flare Position" property, inside the "Global Controls", on your lens flare layer:
L=thisComp.layer("Comet Position"); L.toComp([0,0,0]);
Additional Links:
Mixed Media Effect - creationeffects.com/mixed-media-effect
Swarms - creationeffects.com/swarms
Schools - creationeffects.com/schools
Wisp - creationeffects.com/wisp
Creation Trippy Effects - creationeffects.com/creation-trippy-effects
Infinite Horizon - creationeffects.com/infinite-horizon
0:00 Intro
1:19 Create a shooting star
3:01 Make it follow a Null layer
4:56 CC Particle World properties
7:26 Create a comet
13:47 Add a glow
16:02 Add a lens flare
19:15 Other FX made in AE
21:05 Create a meteor shower
29:47 Additional VFX templates
This After Effects tutorial shows you how to create a meteor shower or rocket debris effect, inspired by the SpaceX Starship explosion in January 2025. We’ll start by making a simple shooting star, then modify it into a comet or asteroid, and finally create a shower of meteors burning up in the atmosphere—no plugins needed! This tutorial moves fast — be ready to learn a lot about Adobe After Effects and the CC Particle World effect, and when you're done, you'll have an awesome animation!
To download AfterGlow and Creation Lens Flares, go to creationeffects.com and head to the "Freebies" page. These two 100% free tools are optional but will enhance the tutorial animation and elevate your future projects.
AfterGlow (free download) – An installable preset for a larger, more intense glow in After Effects
Creation Lens Flares (free download) – An AE template with 50 customizable lens flares
Sky image link (free download) – pixabay.com/photos/sunset-sky-sun-light-clouds-7446150
Tree image link (free download) – pixabay.com/zh/photos/tree-poland-summer-evening-sunset-5330308
Make space animations with Space Effects: creationeffects.com/space-effects
Make 3D landscapes with Landscaper: creationeffects.com/landscaper
Make custom bird animations with Flocks: creationeffects.com/flocks
EXPRESSIONS: Put the following three expressions in the Producer section of the CC Particle World effect. Make sure a Layer Control is on the layer named "Follow Layer", and set it to the Null layer you want to follow.
Position X:
x = effect("Follow Layer")("Layer").transform.position[0]/thisLayer.width;
value - (thisLayer.width/2)/thisLayer.width + x;
Position Y:
x = effect("Follow Layer")("Layer").transform.position[1]/thisLayer.width;
value - (thisLayer.height/2)/thisLayer.width + x;
Position Z:
x = effect("Follow Layer")("Layer").transform.position[2]/thisLayer.width;
value - (thisLayer.width/2)/thisLayer.width + x + 0.5;
To make your lens flare follow your comet or meteor, put the following expression on the "Lens Flare Position" property, inside the "Global Controls", on your lens flare layer:
L=thisComp.layer("Comet Position"); L.toComp([0,0,0]);
Additional Links:
Mixed Media Effect - creationeffects.com/mixed-media-effect
Swarms - creationeffects.com/swarms
Schools - creationeffects.com/schools
Wisp - creationeffects.com/wisp
Creation Trippy Effects - creationeffects.com/creation-trippy-effects
Infinite Horizon - creationeffects.com/infinite-horizon
0:00 Intro
1:19 Create a shooting star
3:01 Make it follow a Null layer
4:56 CC Particle World properties
7:26 Create a comet
13:47 Add a glow
16:02 Add a lens flare
19:15 Other FX made in AE
21:05 Create a meteor shower
29:47 Additional VFX templates
