Published 8 days ago • loading... • Updated 7 days ago
Fireball Seen Streaking Across Sky over Washington, Oregon, B.C.
The American Meteor Society logged 101 reports as cameras captured a blue-green fireball that likely broke apart in the atmosphere, experts said.
At 12:12 a.m. Wednesday, April 29, a bright bolide streaked across the Pacific Northwest sky, prompting the American Meteor Society to receive 101 reports about the fireball or flash of light.
The meteor likely exploded at its terminal point—where velocity equals atmospheric pressure—creating a bright flash and potential meteorite stones scattered in Oregon, according to Victoria astronomer Dave Balam.
Security cameras from Victoria to Camano Island documented the event at 12:12:15 a.m., capturing the object's green and white flashes as it broke apart in the upper atmosphere.
Dozens of social media users asked, "What was that?" following the sighting; Balam noted that bolides are not unusual, with about a half dozen occurring annually.
Earth is bombarded by about 100 to 200 tons of meteoric material every 24 hours, according to Balam at the National Research Council Canada, far exceeding the scale of this event.