The Brief
A meteor fireball was seen over Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania on Tuesday, April 7.
NASA says the fireball traveled 117 miles before breaking up above Galloway, New Jersey.
The American Meteor Society received 186 reports, including 28 from New Jersey, with some witnesses seeing green fragments.
PHILADELPHIA – A meteor fireball streaked across the sky Tuesday afternoon, with eyewitnesses in five states reporting a bright daytime flash, according to NASA and the American Meteor Society.
Meteor fireball reported over the Northeast
What we know
NASA confirmed the meteor first became visible at 2:34 p.m. Tuesday, April 7, about 48 miles above the Atlantic Ocean off the shore of Mastic Beach on Long Island.
The fireball traveled southwest at 30,000 mph, covering 117 miles through the upper atmosphere before disintegrating 27 miles above Galloway, north of Atlantic City.
The American Meteor Society said, “186 fireballs were reported by four this afternoon — including 28 from New Jersey.” Some people described seeing “green-colored fragments streaking across the sky for several seconds,” according to the society.
Eyewitnesses in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania reported seeing the fireball.
NASA also confirmed the meteor sighting earlier Tuesday evening.
Reports and reactions from across the region
Local perspective
The meteor was first seen over the Atlantic Ocean near Long Island and ended its visible path above Galloway, New Jersey.
Nick Brucato captured the fireball while in Whiting, New Jersey, Ocean County Tuesday.
The sighting was visible in broad daylight, making it a rare event for many residents in the area.
What we don’t know
It is not yet clear if any meteorite fragments reached the ground or if there was any impact damage reported.
The Source
Information from NASA Space Alerts, the American Meteor Society, and Nick Brucato.