Here's why:

* Emits Light: The intense heat generated by friction with the atmosphere causes the meteoroid's surface to heat up and vaporize. This vaporized material glows, creating the streak of light we see. This is similar to how a welding torch creates light.

* Reflects Light: The meteoroid's surface also reflects some of the sunlight that hits it. This reflected light contributes to the overall brightness of the meteor, especially in the initial stages of its entry into the atmosphere.

Therefore, the light we see from a meteor is a combination of incandescent glow from the vaporized material and reflected sunlight from the meteoroid's surface.