A dazzling meteor that streaked across the southeastern Tennessee sky Thursday was created when a fragment of an asteroid burned up in Earth’s atmosphere, NASA said. One witness described it as the “biggest ball of fire” they had ever seen.
The fireball appeared above Robbinsville, North Carolina, at about 7:45 p.m., moving through the atmosphere at roughly 47,000 miles per hour, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
The space rock then covered about 120 miles toward East Ridge, Tennessee, in less than 10 seconds before breaking apart approximately 25 miles above the ground.
Witnesses posting on Reddit said the meteor flashed across the night sky in shades of blue, white and orange-yellow. One described the sight as the “biggest ball of fire” they had ever witnessed, the outlet reported.
A Chattanooga observer also recalled hearing a sound resembling the “poof” of a lighter as the rock tore overhead, leaving behind what they called “the most insane tail.”
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Despite its spectacular display, NASA confirmed Friday that the fireball came from an asteroid fragment only about two inches across and weighing less than half a pound.
NASA’s All Sky Fireball Network recorded the event from several angles with a series of fisheye-lens, black-and-white video cameras, according to the local newspaper.
Using footage from the network, the agency calculated the meteor’s altitude and speed.
NASA officials also clarified that the fireball was unrelated to the Taurid meteor shower, an annual November event known for producing bright meteors.