The American Meteor Society has
received reports of a bright fireball meteor being seen over parts of
the southern United States at about 8.45 am Eastern Daylight Time (slightly after am GMT) on Wednesday 12 April 2017. The majority of the reports came from South Carolina, but sightings were also reported from Georgia, Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky and Alabama. A fireball
is defined
as a meteor
(shooting star) brighter than the
planet Venus. These are typically caused by pieces of rock burning up in
the atmosphere, but can be the result of man-made space-junk burning up
on re-entry. The meteor travelled from northeast to southwest, and was last seen over Horry County, South Carolina.
The 12 April 2017 meteor. Ricky Lucas/WLTX-TV.
Objects of this size probably enter the Earth's atmosphere several times
a year, though unless they do so over populated areas they are unlikely
to be noticed. They are officially described as fireballs if they
produce a light brighter than the planet Venus. It is possible that this object will have produced meteorites that reached
the surface (an object visible in the sky is a meteor, a rock that falls
from the sky and can be physically held and examined is a meteorite).
Witness reports can help astronomers to understand these events. If you
witnessed this fireball you can report it to the American Meteor Society here.
See also...
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