Bright Meteor Streaks Across Southern U.S. Skies, Captivating Residents

ATLANTA (AP) — On Thursday, June 26, 2025, over 200 individuals across several southern U.S. states reported witnessing a spectacular celestial event: a bright meteor, classified as a bolide, streaking across the sky. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Peachtree City, Georgia, confirmed that the majority of sightings originated from Georgia and South Carolina around 12:30 p.m.

According to Bill Cooke, a scientist at NASA's Meteoroid Environments Office in Huntsville, Alabama, the meteor, which was approximately the size of a shopping cart, first appeared over Oxford, Georgia, and traveled southwest before disintegrating over West Forest, Georgia. "This event unleashed an energy equivalent to about 20 tons of TNT," Cooke stated. Eyewitness accounts, supported by images captured on various cameras and data from satellites and weather radar, enabled scientists to track the meteor's trajectory.

As of Friday afternoon, reports to the American Meteor Society had reached at least 215, with many witnesses expressing awe at the event. One resident from Bethlehem, Georgia remarked, "It was a bright fireball. It had a bright tail that disappeared with it, leaving behind a smoke trail. I’ve never seen anything like it before." Another witness from Milledgeville, Georgia, suggested that the meteor may have struck the ground.

In a notable incident, a resident in Henry County, Georgia, reported a rock crashing through their roof, coinciding with the sonic boom produced by the fireball. The National Weather Service indicated that the damage included a hole around the size of a golf ball in the ceiling and a crack in the floor.

Dashboards and doorbell cameras across multiple southern states captured footage of the fireball, which was remarkable for being visible during daylight—an occurrence that is quite rare. "It was so bright in the middle of the day... brighter than the sun," noted a witness from Dublin, Georgia.

Cooke explained that bright fireballs are caused when an object enters the atmosphere and experiences intense friction, causing it to slow down. While many meteors fall to Earth regularly, most burn up completely before reaching the surface. However, in this case, meteorites are believed to have landed in the Blacksville area of Georgia, with radar data detecting additional activity.

This event has rekindled public interest in meteors and the phenomena associated with them. Dr. Sarah Johnson, Professor of Astronomy at the University of California, Berkeley, stated, "Such occurrences not only fascinate the public but also provide invaluable data for scientific research on meteoroids and their properties."

The bright meteor event serves as a reminder of the dynamic nature of our atmosphere and the objects that traverse it. As scientists continue to analyze the data collected from this incident, the implications for understanding meteoric activity and its impact on Earth will be significant. Looking ahead, experts encourage the public to remain vigilant and report any unusual celestial occurrences, contributing to ongoing research in astronomy.

In conclusion, as the excitement surrounding the meteor gradually fades, the scientific community remains focused on the data harvested from this extraordinary event, seeking to unlock further insights into the mysteries of our universe.