You have hit the nail right on the head.
The brilliant flash of light we observe from the ground is not primarily the burning rock itself, but rather a massive column of glowing, superheated air (plasma) created by extreme air compression.
Physical Object Size vs. Visible Light Radius
The space particles that produce a shooting star visible to the naked eye are remarkably tiny—often no larger than a grain of sand or a small pebble (a few millimeters to a couple of centimeters).
In short, more than 99% of the glow we see comes from glowing air, not the solid space rock itself.
The Physics of the Glow: How Plasma Forms
When a space particle enters the atmosphere at astounding speeds ranging from 11 to 72 kilometers per second, a rapid chain reaction occurs:
Summary
Ultimately, a shooting star is best understood as a tiny speck of space dust turning the Earth’s upper atmosphere into a gigantic, glowing neon sign for a split second.
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