A particular report from Robert Lunsford of the American Meteor Society
Massive fireball over Lake Erie
I simply completed posting 342 reviews of a giant fireball – an exceptionally vivid meteor – that occurred over North America close to the U.S.-Canada border. It occurred at round 7 p.m. EDT (23 UTC) on the night of October 21, 2024. And the American Meteor Society has acquired reviews! The witnesses vary from North Carolina westward to Kentucky, northward to Michigan and eastward to New York.
Fireballs can seem very vivid, streaking throughout a darkish evening sky. They usually’re practically at all times sudden. This one’s computer-generated trajectory was from west to east over Lake Erie, which is the 4th-largest lake by floor space of North America’s 5 Nice Lakes (and the Eleventh-largest lake globally). The trajectory ended simply offshore from Erie, Pennsylvania.
There’s a cause that fireballs are seen from such a big space. That’s, they seem at a excessive altitude of fifty miles (80 km). The Taurid meteor bathe is at present energetic and above the horizon at the moment of evening. However this fireball was shifting in a route reverse the Taurids. So this occasion was almost definitely a random meteor, not related to any identified meteor bathe.
Fireballs have been frequent these days. However this is likely one of the largest occasions to have occurred just lately. You probably have witnessed this or every other fireball, we encourage you to share your expertise by filling out at Report a Fireball.
Watch the October 21 fireball on video
The American Meteor Society has already acquired many photographs and movies of the October 21 fireball. Discover extra on this web page.
Ryan Connor from North Royalton, Ohio, captured the fireball with 2 cameras.
John Oelschlager recorded this video from West Mifflin, Pennsylvania.
Video recorded from Tillsonburg, Canada.
Brad Hague additionally captured the fireball from Toronto, Canada.
Walter White from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was additionally suprised by the fireball.
Backside Line: Witnesses described a big fireball over Lake Erie on October 21. The American Meteor Society had some 350 reviews as of this writing. 1000’s will need to have seen it!
By way of The American Meteor Society
