A large fireball lit up the skies of large parts of the United States and Canada on Monday evening.
the American Meteor Society There were 436 reported sightings of the fireball, which was seen from northern Michigan to North Carolina, and from Kentucky to western New York, around 7 p.m. Monday. The fireball’s path was west to east over Lake Erie.
more:The Orionids meteor shower reaches peak activity this weekend: When and where to watch
Several photos and videos captured the bright line of light, which was visible for several seconds as it moved across the sky.
Busy week for stargazers
Monday evening was also the peak of the Orionids meteor shower, which is active from September 26 to November 22 this year.
The meteors, widely considered by astronomers to produce the most beautiful showers of the year, travel at about 148,000 miles per hour through Earth’s atmosphere at their peak, leaving in their wake glowing trains of debris that can last for several seconds or even several minutes. NASA says. When moving fast enough, meteors can also produce fireballs that appear as long bursts of light.
Eric Lagata contributed to this report.
Max Hauptmann is a feature correspondent for USA TODAY. He can be reached at MHauptman@gannett.com
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