Hundreds of people are reporting seeing a rare daytime fireball streak across the still sunlit skies of North Carolina on Thursday.
The American Meteor Society said it has received more than 250 reports about the event, that occurred at about 6 p.m.
“Daytime fireballs are only recorded a few times a year, if at all,” said Michael Hankey, operations manager for AMS. “The meteoroid, or underlying rock, has to be pretty big for it to be seen in the daytime.”
In this video, the fireball can be seen at about five seconds just right of center of the screen.
While the fireball, which is defined as a meteor that is brighter than the planet Venus, was primarily a North Carolina phenomenon, AMS said people from as far away as Virginia and South Carolina also witnessed the flash.
Seeing a fireball is rare, and to see one during daylight hours is even more unique.
Hankey said the fireball wasn’t part of a known meteor shower, but just a random event.
The Perseid meteor shower peaked in early August and the Orionids aren't until mid to late October.
“Meteors and fireballs hit during the day all the time, but most cannot be seen because the sun is so bright,” Hankey said. “A fireball that can outshine the sun is rare, big and bright.”
About the Author
