HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) – Late Sunday night, a home security camera captured this incredible view. It is a fireball that flies very clearly over the air shortly after midnight.
Usually, when there is a bright fireball, it can be seen hundreds of miles away, and often in different states. According to the American Meteor Society (yes, that’s a real thing!) There were more than 200 reports with most concentrated in Pennsylvania. Other reports came from as far away as Ohio, Connecticut, Toronto and North Carolina.
What’s even more interesting is that there were four fireball reports this weekend
Numerous videos have been shared on social media. To be honest, this video (the one above) is the first one anyone sent me from our local area.
- The American Meteorite Society reports that the fireball was moving 51,000 miles per hour northwest.
- The fireball traveled 38 kilometers through the atmosphere before splintering above the city of Newburg in Pennsylvania.
- The cause was by an asteroid fragment weighing 7 pounds and about 5 inches in diameter.
This video below is from Arlington, VA.
A fireball is brighter than the planet Venus. So it’s just another name for a very large meteor. How often does this happen?
The American Meteorological Society says that several thousand fireballs occur every day! However, with the majority of our planet as water, many of these fireballs are not seen. It is also rare that someone is seen in daylight, the brighter it is, the better the chance.
Here’s a fireball during the day from February 2020.
The AMS says the brighter the fireball, the rarer it is.
Have you ever noticed one? If you do, you can report it. Remember as much information as possible about the direction and how clear it was. Here is the link to report one:
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