Green fireball captured on dashcam video as meteor streaks across the sky
abcnews.com • • general
Key Points:
- A bright green fireball, a particularly luminous meteor, was captured on dashcam by Jason Jenkins near Portland, Oregon, early Monday morning, appearing exceptionally bright and close in the sky.
- The green color of the fireball is typically caused by magnesium or nickel vaporizing in the Earth's atmosphere, emitting a distinctive blue-green light.
- Fireballs can be visible up to 80 miles above Earth and are rare to survive atmospheric entry; if they do, they often resemble ordinary rocks and are difficult to locate.
- Recent similar events include a 7-ton meteor over Ohio and a high-speed meteor breaking apart near Houston, both causing loud booms and some property damage.
- The increase in cameras on vehicles and homes has led to more frequent reports and recordings of such meteor sightings, aiding in tracking their trajectories and potential impact sites.
