Fireball streaked across mid-Atlantic sky Sunday evening, witnesses say

If you saw a bright object race across sky around 11 p.m. Sunday, you’re not alone.

Social media exploded with reports of a fireball streaking across the sky.

A fireball is another term for a very bright meteor, according to the American Meteor Society (AMS). 

“Incredibly bright #meteor even at apparently low altitude just fell over #DC. Wonderful moment!” tweeted photojournalist William B. Plowman from Washington, D.C. 

Eyewitness reports from across the region also appeared on the AMS website. 

“I’m sure everyone says this but it seemed super close. The crackling sound and sight were hardly delayed at all, less than a second. Brilliant white, yellow and green. Very low on the horizon and straight down,” wrote Jon G. from Marlton, N.J. 

AMS says “several thousand” fireballs occur each day, but they are rarely seen.

“The vast majority of these, however, occur over the oceans and uninhabited regions, and a good many are masked by daylight. Those that occur at night also stand little chance of being detected due to the relatively low numbers of persons out to notice them,” a fireball FAQ from AMS notes. 

There was no official confirmation from NASA as of early Monday morning. 

Read more about fireballs here.