Meteor news: Fireball explodes over United States as witnesses report being “frightened” by burst of light Science | New



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An explosion of brilliant light lit up the sky in the eastern United States on Saturday as a meteor entered the atmosphere over the coast of North Carolina. The explosion was so large it could be seen in three different states – Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina – as well as Washington DC.

Footage of the event was captured by a rear garden security camera.

The film shows that the darkness of the night suddenly turns bright as a trail of light wades through the sky.

Dozens of people have come to the International Meteorite Organization (IMO) to report their sighting.

Mary told IMO: “It seemed so big and so close. I waited for it to pass and thought I heard something but didn’t.

A person who called himself LA said, “I was driving and it lit the sky more than the freeway lights.”

Tommy added, “I was driving to work this morning (it was dark) and saw a fast, bright trail in the sky.

“It was quick but beautiful. I had never seen anything like it before.”

Kristal said: “It looked huge, very close to Earth and bright.

READ MORE: ‘Alien’ meteor hits Earth over China

“These bright meteors are what we call fireballs, and they often cause fear and awe for those who witness them.”

Perhaps the most famous fireball in modern history came when a meteor exploded over Chelyabinsk in 2013.

The explosion, caused by a 20-meter meteor, was so powerful it shattered windows across the city and injured more than 1,000 people.

In 1908, a small asteroid surprised Earth when it exploded over Tunguska in Siberia, flattening forests for 800 miles.

The explosion was so powerful it was equivalent to 30 megatons of TNT at an altitude of 6.2 to 9.3 miles (10 to 15 km).



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