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What's that in the sky? We're not sure, but the fireball was very bright

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Original Story by NPR
June 27, 2025
What's that in the sky? We're not sure, but the fireball was very bright

Context:

A bright object, potentially a meteor or space debris, was visible streaking across the midday sky of the Southeast U.S., specifically observed in Georgia and South Carolina on June 26, 2025. The National Weather Service reported a sonic boom accompanying the event, and a resident in Henry County, Georgia, experienced damage to their home when a rock penetrated their roof. The phenomenon, captured by various cameras, prompted more than 140 reports to the American Meteor Society from multiple states. Such bright fireballs are infrequent during daylight, often caused by atmospheric friction slowing down the object. NASA notes that most objects disintegrate into tiny fragments before reaching the ground.

Dive Deeper:

  • A luminous object, suspected to be either a meteor or space debris, was observed traversing the sky across the Southeast U.S. during midday, with significant sightings in Georgia and South Carolina.

  • The National Weather Service confirmed a sonic boom was heard around the time the object was visible, and a resident in Henry County, Georgia, reported structural damage from a rock that breached their roof.

  • The event, which appeared as a fireball descending directly, was captured by dashboard and doorbell cameras across several states, leading to a substantial number of reports to the American Meteor Society.

  • This type of phenomenon, while involving common meteors and space debris entering Earth's atmosphere, is rarely visible in daylight due to the intense brightness required.

  • Friction with the atmosphere causes such bright fireballs as the object slows, and NASA explains that most objects typically disintegrate into small pieces before impacting the ground.

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