Fireball in the sky reported across Washington, British Columbia, and Oregon
KOMO • • general
Key Points:
- A bright fireball, described as a very bright meteor, was observed early Wednesday morning across parts of the Pacific Northwest, including Washington, British Columbia, and Oregon, with 135 reports submitted to the American Meteor Society (AMS).
- The fireball, caused by space debris entering Earth's atmosphere at high speeds and superheating, was recorded on camera in Anacortes and appeared as a blue-green object that exploded in a flash of light.
- Experts note that fireballs are fairly common and generally not dangerous, as it is rare for debris to reach the ground intact; the green color is due to elements like magnesium and nickel in the meteor.
- Witnesses reported the event lasting between 1.5 and 7.5 seconds, with some even hearing sounds, and sightings were recorded from numerous locations across Washington state.
- The AMS will investigate further to verify the event, determine the debris' origin, altitude of explosion, and the meteor's trajectory through the atmosphere.
