LifestyleMeteor illuminates night sky across several US states, captivating viewers

Meteor illuminates night sky across several US states, captivating viewers

A meteor was seen in several states of the USA.

Images source: © Adobe Stock

1:51 PM EST, March 1, 2024

On Wednesday, February 21st, the American Meteorological Society received multiple reports about a brilliant fireball that lit up the night sky. Witnesses were shocked, with many stating they had never seen anything as impressive. A resident of State College, speaking to the FOX Weather portal, exclaimed, "It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen in my life." An observer from Ohio noted the meteor's long trail.

The meteor sparked enough interest to have meteorologists conclude, based on phone call reports, that it traversed the sky over Pennsylvania. Videos captured by residents and security cameras made their way into media coverage.

NASA data reveals that the Earth is bombarded with about 106,700 pounds of cosmic matter daily. However, most meteors disintegrate while passing through the Earth's atmosphere due to intense friction and speeds exceeding 24,855 miles per hour. Less than 5% manage to reach the Earth's surface.

The American Meteorological Society hasn't reported the meteor in question reaching the ground. If it did, there's speculation it might have landed in Pennsylvania based on its flight path.

Meteorites, composed of metallic and rocky material, vary in size from small pebbles to about the size of a human fist. Planetary experts believe that fewer than a dozen of the 500 meteorites that hit the Earth's surface every year are actually discovered.