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

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

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

The fireball was also seen in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Ontario 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 driving up Fort Hunt Road towards Belle View area of Alexandria tonight!!" Sarah Jane wrote.

"I saw it in Falls Church. Quite impressive! Very bright and then it looked like it may have exploded," Danny Farkas 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.