A blazing fireball lit the night sky over the Carolinas, racing at jet‑like speed.
Key points
- NASA measured the meteor’s speed at roughly 47,000 mph.
- The fireball was a two‑inch, six‑ounce asteroid fragment.
- Regional sky cameras captured the event from multiple states.
- The meteor was not part of the Taurid meteor shower.
On Thursday night a bright meteor crossed the skies of western North Carolina and southern Tennessee, a phenomenon NASA confirmed after reviewing footage from its regional monitoring network.
The object entered the atmosphere at an estimated 47,000 miles per hour, first becoming visible roughly 50 miles above the town of Robbinsville, N.C., before moving westward toward Tennessee.
Rapid descent captured by sky cameras
NASA’s sky‑camera system—stations in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and near the state line—tracked the fireball for about ten seconds, noting its disappearance near East Ridge, about 25 miles overhead.
Analysis of the video indicates the fireball was a small asteroid fragment, approximately two inches in diameter and weighing around six ounces.
Size and origin of the fireball
Astronomers label such bright events "fireballs," and NASA clarified that this particular one was unrelated to the currently active Taurid meteor shower.
Reader questions
What defines a fireball in astronomy?
A fireball is an exceptionally bright meteor that can be seen over a wide area, standing out more starkly than typical shooting stars.
How long was the meteor observed?
NASA’s cameras recorded the fireball for about ten seconds from its first to its final sighting.
Source: cbsnews.com
