Latest news with #GeostationaryLightningMapper
USA Today
a day ago
- Climate
- USA Today
People reported earthquakes and fire in the sky. It was probably a meteor.
The fireball is presumed to be from a meteor fragmenting in the sky, according to meteorologists and other experts. People in the southeastern United States on Thursday, June 26, reported a fireball in the sky and rumbling on the ground, an unsettling combination that was probably a meteor, according to various agencies. Reports of sightings flooded the American Meteor Society around 12:30 p.m. And the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, Georgia, said residents reported what felt like earthquakes around that time. Bill Cooke, the chief of NASA's Meteoroid Environments Office at the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, told The New York Times and local news outlets that the flying space rock was about three feet in diameter and weighed more than one ton. (The USA TODAY Network left a message with the Marshall Space Flight Center seeking more information.) And the earthquake reports? Those were likely sonic booms, the brief, thunder-like noises when a spacecraft, aircraft or space rocks travel faster than the speed of sound, the local weather service office said. The awesome sight likely wasn't entirely harmless: Remnants of the cosmic object may have broken off and plummeted through the roof of a home in Henry County, Georgia, according to the local National Weather Service office. Did a meteor crash into a Georgia home? Did you feel that today? Many in north Georgia not only felt it but saw it. It appears that either a meteor or space... The weather service, citing the Henry County Emergency Management agency, said a resident south of Atlanta reported that a "rock" fell through their roof, broke through the ceiling and cracked the home's laminate flooring. Because the incident occurred around the time sightings were happening, "we are presuming that a piece of the object fell through their roof." What was the 'fireball' spotted over the US? The fireball that caught the attention of people across the southeastern United States is presumed to be from a meteor fragmenting in the sky, according to meteorologists and other experts. Where was the 'fireball' meteorite seen in US? The American Meteor Society received nearly 150 reports of a meteor bright enough to be seen streaking across the midday sky beginning around noon local time Thursday, June 26. Most of the reports were from Georgia and South Carolina, but a few witnessed the object in Florida, Alabama, Tennessee and North Carolina. There have been many reports of a #fireball streaking across the southeastern U.S. this afternoon! The Geostationary Lightning Mapper (#GLM) on @NOAA's #GOES satellites can occasionally detect these bright meteors (aka #bolides) when they pass through the the… The National Weather Service office in Charleston said on Facebook that its satellite-based, lightning-detection system showed 'a streak within cloud free sky' over Gasburg, Virginia, near the state's border with North Carolina. What is a fireball? How rare is a 'fireball' meteor? Rocks in space are known as meteoroids. If those space rocks enter Earth's atmosphere, they become meteors that streak across the sky in events colloquially referred to as "shooting stars." Meteors – or fragments of them – that survive their atmospheric trip and land on the surface without burning up become meteorites, according to NASA. What many witnessed recently was a very bright meteor known as a fireball. It's relatively rare for fireballs to be sighted on Earth, especially during the daytime, as the objects generally have to be at least as bright as Venus to be visible to the naked eye, according to the American Meteor Society. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@
a day ago
- Science
Possible meteor shoots through sky over Southeast
Witnesses across Georgia and South Carolina captured what appears to be bright flashes of light darting the sky. NOAA's Geostationary Lightning Mapper detected the flashes as possible meteors.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Fireball comet seen streaking across sky over Southeastern US, reportedly crashes into Georgia home
A bright fireball meteor streaked across the Southeast US sky around midday on June 26, 2025, startling residents in Georgia , South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee. More than 140 reports were submitted to the American Meteor Society within 30 minutes, describing a sudden flash followed by a loud boom. In Henry County, Georgia, officials confirmed damage to a home where the meteor is believed to have crashed through the roof, scattering rocky debris inside. The explosive sound triggered widespread confusion, with many mistaking it for seismic activity. The rare daytime meteor became a regional spectacle within moments. Meteor crash triggers sudden flash and boom across the sky At around noon, social media exploded with posts and videos showing a blazing object racing across the sky. Witnesses described the fireball as unexpectedly bright and fast, creating a loud boom that was heard across multiple states. Dashcam footage from South Carolina captured the object streaking through clear blue skies, while satellite data revealed a smoke trail that extended from Tennessee into northern Georgia. The dramatic display was soon linked to a suspected meteor crash in Henry County, Georgia, where debris reportedly damaged a residential home. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like They Were So Beautiful Before; Now Look At Them; Number 10 Will Shock You Reportingly Undo Residential damage in Georgia sparks investigation According to fox News, In Henry County, southeast of Atlanta, a homeowner reported significant structural damage, with authorities confirming a hole in the roof and ceiling likely caused by falling meteor debris. Images shared by emergency management officials show shattered roofing materials and scattered rocks on the home's floor, intensifying speculation that the fireball made a direct impact. No earthquake detected, but boom felt region-wide Following the explosion-like sound, the National Weather Service in Atlanta began investigating whether seismic activity had occurred. However, the US Geological Survey found no evidence of an earthquake at the time, suggesting the boom was atmospheric in origin—likely the meteor entering and breaking apart in the atmosphere. What exactly is a fireball meteor? Fireballs are exceptionally bright meteors, often brighter than Venus in the night sky. When these meteors explode mid-air with visible fragmentation, they are known as bolides. Thursday's fireball fits this description, with a flash so intense it was picked up by NOAA's Geostationary Lightning Mapper, typically used to monitor lightning storms. Scientists continue to analyse the event Astronomers and meteorite experts are now working to determine the exact nature and trajectory of the fireball. If confirmed as a meteorite impact, it could mark one of the rare occasions where a meteor has struck a building in the United States. The American Meteor Society continues to collect eyewitness accounts, images, and videos to reconstruct the event. The fireball event is a powerful reminder of Earth's vulnerability to space debris. Although most meteors burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere, this incident, possibly involving a meteor crashing into a home, shows that rare but impactful encounters can happen. Thankfully, no one was injured, but the damage highlights the importance of monitoring near-Earth objects and improving our understanding of atmospheric entry events. It's a vivid example of how space, though distant, can occasionally and unexpectedly reach into our everyday lives.
