Adobe Stock / JohnKruger1
As if 2020 wasn’t eventful enough, let’s add to it the large fireball that cruised across 11 states and a section of Canada before making its way to the Hudson Valley.
Poughkeepsie looked like a scene from War of the Worlds on Sunday, November 8.
That evening, drivers throughout New York and New Jersey were greeted with an eerie sight in the night sky.
Shooting star at 7:19 in NJ while driving on the GSP. But going by 2020’s track record we all know this is aliens. They found us. #Aliens #ShootingStar #NJ #GSP #GardenStateParkway pic.twitter.com/HrnaxpezGq
— Liquidalloy (Dawson) (@EggshellEgo) November 9, 2020
Starting at 7:22 p.m., dashboard cameras recorded a bright meteor zipping above them. Many were confused by what they saw, unsure if there were out-of-season fireworks being lit, a bomb exploding, or a UFO sitting just above them.
First video of the fireball over the East Coast last night thanks to @LakewoodScoop
More info:https://t.co/fRlFFOMN1l
If you saw this event, please report it here: https://t.co/Rkg2JFZ1xW pic.twitter.com/nwuoCO8gz2
— AMSMETEORS (@amsmeteors) November 9, 2020
The meteor’s sheer size and speed alarmed those who captured it. Hundreds of calls were made right away to the American Meteor Society, a New York non-profit organization dedicated to informing on astronomical phenomenon. The AMS received nearly 500 reports of a large fireball careening across northern skies. Residents of all five boroughs of New York City witnessed the wild stellar occurrence.
Fireball caught over the #NewYork & #Connecticut on Nov 8 – 215+ reports so far.
Maps, traj & video:https://t.co/Vh3bWJX0Ge pic.twitter.com/qK2JEoHCDK
— AMSMETEORS (@amsmeteors) November 9, 2020
Most of the reports came from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, but the meteor was also visible in Rhode Island, New Hampshire, West Virginia, Vermont, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maine, and Quebec. It flew from east to west and landed near the City of Poughkeepsie at the end of its flight.
Astronomers classify meteors as fireballs when they appear brighter than the planet Venus. Thousands of fireballs occur in the Earth’s atmosphere every day, but it can be difficult to see due to daylight. Following Halloween’s gorgeous blue moon, this shooting star was quite the spectacle.
Fireball caught over East Coast last night
If you saw this event and/or if you have videos or photos: https://t.co/N0EuOVkOgj
Event details:https://t.co/6WrVfuI28I pic.twitter.com/Cnb5MF9cHm
— AMSMETEORS (@amsmeteors) November 9, 2020
