Massive Fireball Streaks Over MD Sky: Did You See It?

MARYLAND — Stargazers were delighted Wednesday night when a bright fireball was spotted streaking across the Maryland sky.

As of Thursday morning, the American Meteor Society had received 225 reports of a fireball from several states along the East Coast, including Maryland.

The fireball was also seen in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Ontario, Virginia and West Virginia at approximately 6:50 p.m. EST.

The event was especially unique as there was no meteor shower forecast for Wednesday night.

Classified as "AMS Event 987-2024," the AMS said the glowing object seemed to have traveled from the southwest to the northeast over Pennsylvania. Some reports said the fireball fragmented as it moved through the sky, possibly producing meteorites.

Dozens of people reported spotting the fireball on the Capital Weather Gang's Facebook page.

"I saw it! Hagerstown, Md just as it disappeared into nothingness right above our neighborhood. Only lasted in visibility for me for about 5 seconds. I thought it might hit the ground, but I don't think it did," Stephenie Constantine wrote.

"Saw it in Brunswick, MD. It was beautiful!" Melissa Catterall-VanMeter wrote.

"I saw it! I saw it!! Biggest ball of fire in the sky I've ever seen!!" Heather Smith wrote.

According to NASA, when meteoroids enter Earth’s atmosphere at high speed and burn up, the fireballs or "shooting stars" produced from them are called meteors.

Scientists estimate that about 48.5 tons of meteoritic material falls on Earth each day. Almost all the material is vaporized in Earth's atmosphere, leaving a bright trail called "shooting stars." According to NASA, several meteors per hour can usually be seen on any given night.

Did you see Wednesday night's fireball? Report it to AMS here.