The security camera of a home in the US accidentally captured a meteor falling from the sky as a bright fireball. Based on the appearance of the fiery object, it was most likely caused by a small asteroid that entered Earth's atmosphere.
The latest fireball incident was monitored by the American Meteor Society (AMS). According to the organization, the fireball event happened during the early morning of April 17. It was spotted from portions of Texas and Arkansas.
Meteor Fireball's Brightness
According to eyewitness reports gathered by the AMS, the meteor only appeared for a brief period of time. The eyewitnesses stated in their reports that the fireball only appeared in the sky for about 1.5 seconds before it disappeared.
As for its brightness, eyewitness Jonathan G from Marshall, Arkansas, reported that the fireball had a magnitude of -8, which means it was much brighter than the planet Venus when viewed from Earth. Jonathan G stated that the meteor produced a bright green flash as it burned up in the sky.
Video Of Latest Fireball Event
Another eyewitness named James D. from Richardson, Texas noted that the fireball appeared much brighter from his location. According to his report, it had a magnitude of -20. James D. shared a video of the fireball incident to AMS. Based on the clip, the footage was captured by a house's security camera. The fireball briefly appeared just before the 34-second mark of the video.
As noted by other eyewitnesses, heavy cloud coverage and weather conditions during that time may have prevented the meteor fireball from being fully visible. Also, unlike other fireball events, the latest incident did not illuminate a large portion of the sky when it appeared.
Causes Of Fireball Events
According to the AMS, fireball incidents usually occur when a small asteroid hits Earth and enters the atmosphere. As it goes through the atmosphere, the asteroid, which is now referred to as a meteor, burns up due to the extreme friction and pressure.
Depending on the size of the meteor, it could produce a fireball bright enough to be spotted from different locations on Earth. "A fireball is another term for a very bright meteor, generally brighter than magnitude -4, which is about the same magnitude of the planet Venus in the morning or evening sky," the AMS explained.
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