Latest news with #MeteoroidEnvironmentOffice
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
‘Scary' Fireball Seen Shooting Across the Sky Confirmed as Meteor That Exploded with the Force of 20 Tons of TNT: See the Video
Witnesses across southeastern U.S. states reported seeing a 'really scary' fireball moving across the sky on June 26 A NASA expert confirmed to PEOPLE that the object was a meteor, which is a streak of light caused by a small space rock burning up after entering Earth's atmosphere 'It disintegrated 27 miles above West Forest, Georgia, unleashing an energy of about 20 tons of TNT,' NASA saidThe 'scary' fireball that witnesses saw shooting across the sky in southeastern U.S. states on Thursday, June 26, has been identified. Bill Cooke, NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office lead, confirmed to PEOPLE that the moving object was a meteor — a streak of light caused by a small space rock burning up after entering Earth's atmosphere. 'The meteor was first seen at an altitude of 48 miles above the town of Oxford, Georgia, moving southwest at 30,000 miles per hour,' Cooke said in a statement, adding that his team analyzed eyewitness accounts and camera, satellite, infrasound and doppler weather radar data. 'It disintegrated 27 miles above West Forest, Georgia, unleashing an energy of about 20 tons of TNT. The resulting pressure wave propagated to the ground, creating booms heard by many in that area,' Cooke continued. He added in the statement that the meteor was produced by an asteroidal fragment that was 3 feet in diameter and weighed more than a ton. CBS Mornings reported that at least 20 fireball events have been tracked worldwide in 2025, per NASA's Center for Near Earth Objects Studies. Georgia resident Melanie Whitlock told Atlanta news station WSB-TV that feeling the meteor's sonic boom 'was really, really scary.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Her daughter, Amber Hudson, also recalled to the outlet, 'I was even shaking, like, back and forth, and then I was just hearing like the banging sound or whatever, and even a water bottle fell off my nightstand.' Read the original article on People
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
‘Scary' Fireball Seen Shooting Across the Sky Confirmed as Meteor That Exploded with the Force of 20 Tons of TNT: See the Video
Witnesses across southeastern U.S. states reported seeing a 'really scary' fireball moving across the sky on June 26 A NASA expert confirmed to PEOPLE that the object was a meteor, which is a streak of light caused by a small space rock burning up after entering Earth's atmosphere 'It disintegrated 27 miles above West Forest, Georgia, unleashing an energy of about 20 tons of TNT,' NASA saidThe 'scary' fireball that witnesses saw shooting across the sky in southeastern U.S. states on Thursday, June 26, has been identified. Bill Cooke, NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office lead, confirmed to PEOPLE that the moving object was a meteor — a streak of light caused by a small space rock burning up after entering Earth's atmosphere. 'The meteor was first seen at an altitude of 48 miles above the town of Oxford, Georgia, moving southwest at 30,000 miles per hour,' Cooke said in a statement, adding that his team analyzed eyewitness accounts and camera, satellite, infrasound and doppler weather radar data. 'It disintegrated 27 miles above West Forest, Georgia, unleashing an energy of about 20 tons of TNT. The resulting pressure wave propagated to the ground, creating booms heard by many in that area,' Cooke continued. He added in the statement that the meteor was produced by an asteroidal fragment that was 3 feet in diameter and weighed more than a ton. CBS Mornings reported that at least 20 fireball events have been tracked worldwide in 2025, per NASA's Center for Near Earth Objects Studies. Georgia resident Melanie Whitlock told Atlanta news station WSB-TV that feeling the meteor's sonic boom 'was really, really scary.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Her daughter, Amber Hudson, also recalled to the outlet, 'I was even shaking, like, back and forth, and then I was just hearing like the banging sound or whatever, and even a water bottle fell off my nightstand.' Read the original article on People
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Where can you see Eta Aquarids meteor shower? What to know in Michigan
Michigan stargazers will soon get the chance to glimpse spring's next meteor shower, the Eta Aquarids. The Eta Aquarids meteor shower will peak May 5-6, according to NASA. The annual shower can bring fast meteors, with up to 50 per hour during the peak. Spring's previous meteor shower, the Lyrids, peaked in late April. Here's what to know. The Eta Aquarids, or Eta Aquariids, is an annual shower of meteors shooting through the night sky as they come into Earth's atmosphere, per NASA. The meteors appear in the area of the constellation Aquarius in the sky. The Eta Aquarid runs April 20 to May 21, NASA says. The meteor shower will peak May 5-6. Look for a clear, open area to view the meteors in Michigan's skies. Keep an eye on the weather forecast closer to the peak to find out local viewing chances. Michigan is home to six dark sky state parks, three international dark sky parks and an international dark sky sanctuary. The Alpena area has three Dark Sky Preserves: Rockport State Recreation Area, Thompson's Harbor State Park and Negwegon State Park. In Mackinaw City, Headlands International Dark Sky Park. In Empire, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. In Munising, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. In Paradise, the Great Lakes Museum and Whitefish Point Light Station and Tahquamenon Falls State Park. In Port Austin, Port Crescent State Park. In Clayton, Lake Hudson Recreation Area. In Carp Lake, Wilderness State Park. Keweenaw Dark Sky Park in Keweenaw County and Dr. T.K. Lawless Park in Cass County are international spots. And, finally, the Beaver Island State Wildlife Research Area is an international sanctuary. The Eta Aquarids can be viewed during the pre-dawn hours, NASA said. While viewing chances will be better in the southern hemisphere, Michigan viewers could glimpse "earthgrazers," long meteors near the horizon. Bill Cooke, the lead for the Meteoroid Environment Office at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, suggested viewing the meteors from 2 a.m. until dawn, per "The Etas are not a shower that you can go out to see after sunset because the radiant won't be up," Cooke wrote. Here are some general viewing tips from the space agency: Find an area well away from street lights and the light pollution of cities. Come prepared with a sleeping bag, blanket or lawn chair. Lie flat on your back with your feet facing the east and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible. It should take less than 30 minutes for your eyes to adapt so that you can see streaking meteors. But be patient, NASA warns: the show will last until dawn. Meteor showers occur when the Earth passes through dusty debris trails left by comets and broken asteroid bits as they orbit the sun, NASA says. The debris collides with Earth's atmosphere at high speed and disintegrates, creating fiery and colorful streaks in the sky. The Eta Aquarids debris comes from comet 1P/Halley, named for English astronomer Edmond Halley, who discovered it in 1705, NASA said. The comet is expected to next enter the inner solar system in 2061, as it takes 76 years to orbit the sun. The Delta Aquariid meteor shower is set to peak July 30, 2025, per Those are words that sound similar, but there are important differences. More: April's Pink Moon is waning. When is the next full moon over Michigan? Meteoroid: A body in space. Asteroids are larger rocks in space, but there's no official distinction. Meteor: A body passing through the atmosphere. If the meteor is large enough to show some dimensions or sparks, it's often called a fireball. Meteorite: A meteor that survives the fall to the Earth's surface. Meteor shower: When we see a lot of meteors streaking across the sky in a small amount of time, usually a matter of a few days. More: Bird migration map 2025: How to track their journey to Michigan The next full moon, May's Flower Moon, will peak in mid-May. Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Eta Aqaurids meteor shower: When to see it in Michigan
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
What time is the meteor shower tonight? How to see Lyrids before they're gone
After celebrating Earth Day, take some time to view some stars that are out of this world. There are only a few more nights of the Lyrid meteor shower, a fast and bright shower that produces roughly 15 to 20 meteors per hour. This year, it is expected to be up to 18 meteors per hour. NASA said that you should be able to see the meteors roughly after 10 p.m., but here's how to see the meteors and get the best experience. According to NASA, the Lyrids will start after 10 p.m. CT. 'This year, the light from the crescent Moon will not interfere too much with the viewing, but it is best to look away from the Moon, preferably placing it behind you,' said Bill Cooke, leader of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office. Cooke noted that this year, there should be around five to six meteors per hour around 4:30 a.m. The Lyrid Meteor Shower happens in the constellation Lyra, which sits just above the northeast horizon. To find the constellation, look for the star Vega, which is one of the brightest stars in the sky. It is recommended that you move away from the city or streetlights to minimize light pollution while observing. Cooke also recommends lying on your back so you can take in as much sky as possible. Also, try not to ruin your night vision once your eyes have adjusted to the night light. This also means during long lulls between meteors, try to be patient. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Meteor shower tonight: See Lyrids in Oklahoma before they're gone
Indian Express
22-04-2025
- Science
- Indian Express
Lyrid Meteor Shower: Know when and where to watch the celestial event
In a treat to sky gazers, meteor shower is back in America with the Lyrid meteor shower which is projected to illustrate the skies from April 17-26 and it is reported to peak on the night of April 21 through April 22, according to American Meteor Society. During the dark sky, onlookers can view up to 18 meteors per hour when Lyrid shower is at its peak but the waning crescent moon this time around is poised to play spoilsport as it'll make it tough to spot the meteor shower. According to NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office lead, Dr. Bill Cooke, 'Most meteors you see (during a Lyrid shower) are not brilliant fireballs, they are faint little streaks and the more moonlight there is, it tends to wash out those faint little streaks,' reported CNN. A meteor streaks the sky over the shipwreck of cargo ship Dimitrios on Valtaki beach, near the town of Gytheio, Greece. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis When and Where to watch Lyrid meteor shower Even after the hindrance of waning crescent moon, the Lyrid meteor shower can be viewed in the Northern Hemisphere in consonant with the local weather conditions between 10 pm local time on April 21 and 4:30 am April 22. Sky gazers can expect around five streaking lights per hour appearing via the Lyrid meteor shower. For an optimal viewing experience of the Lyrid meteor shower, Dr. Bill Cooke recommends lying down in an open environment with almost zero light pollution. April is bringing shooting stars 🌠💫 The Lyrid meteor shower is set to light up the night! Peaking on April 22–23, the Lyrids offer a celestial spectacle with up to 20 meteors per hour. — NASA Langley Research Center (@NASA_Langley) April 2, 2025 According to a NASA blogpost, the Lyrid meteor shower will be visible after about 10:30pm and the best viewing time is reported to be 5am. The waning crescent moon, which is poised to play spoilsport, will rise around 3:30am but NASA has said that since the moon would be only 27% full, it shouldn't interfere too much with meteor viewing. What to expect during meteor shower A meteor is formed when a comet leaves a trail of ice and dust while it is moving at thousands of miles per hour. The meteors hit the atmosphere of Earth and thereafter they slow down, which transmits heat and that is the flash visible in the skies. The Lyrid's parent comet remains obscure, and it is named C/1861 G1 (Thatcher). It is a long period comet and its orbit is of around 422 years, which is expected to return in 2283. It was discovered by A E Thatcher.
