Weather

Did you see it? Meteor streaks across central North Carolina early Saturday morning

A bright meteor was briefly visible early Saturday morning around 12:45 a.m.
Posted 12:40 a.m. Mar 23 - Updated 11:13 a.m. Mar 23
Meteor looking west from Bakersville, NC (courtesy Tiffany E. via amsmeteors.org)

A meteor was seen streaking across the Carolina skies early Saturday morning.

Residents across four states — from central Virginia to Charleston, South Carolina, and from eastern Tennessee to the Outer Banks — reported seeing the space rock to the American Meteor Society.

Based on triangulation of those reports, the meteor was first seen over Greensboro traveling nearly due south toward Asheboro. It was visible for only a few seconds, last seen east of the North Carolina Zoo before breaking up into a fireball high over south eastern Randolph County.

path of meteor seen just after midnight, Saturday March 22
path of meteor seen just after midnight, Saturday March 22

A meteor is the bright streak of light produced when a meteoroid—a small rock, likely a fragment of an asteroid—burns up upon entering Earth's atmosphere.

A meteor shining brighter than Venus earns the fireball label. In the rare event that any part of the meteoroid survives the fall to be found on the ground, it is called a meteorite.

Triangle residents with doorbell cameras facing west might have captured the brief meteor. Share your photos at wral.com/reportit.

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