The skies over several US states and Ontario, Canada, lit up briefly on Wednesday as a presumed fireball streaked over the daytime sky.
Despite the midday sun, the fireball was clearly visible in videos captured at the time of the event.
According to the American Meteor Society, dozens of eyewitnesses reported seeing the fireball shortly after 12 p.m. ET. The reports were clustered around Lake Ontario, but the organization received reports from Michigan, Ohio, and even as far away as Maryland and Virginia.
An eyewitness in Ohio reported to the American Meteor Society, “It was like a ball of fire with a tail...surreal to see in the daytime.”
Another eyewitness in Ontario said, “Astonishing, amazing, still get goosebumps talking about it.”
What caused the bright flash hasn’t been confirmed, but is presumed to be a meteor. Meteors are not uncommon events, as small rocks and objects enter the Earth’s atmosphere on a daily basis. Most of the time, the atmosphere causes these objects to burn up before reaching the ground.
Whoa. Just after noon, a BIG fireball flashed through the sky over Niagara.
The @EarthCam CN Tower cameras caught the flash from it at ~12:03:32!
Wow, it was bright!#Fireball @amsmeteors pic.twitter.com/6piLtC1Kqt— Scott Sutherland (@ScottWx_TWN) December 2, 2020
