Mississippi Morning Fireball

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fireball
AMS Event#3903-2016 caught on dashcam by Youtube user “jrtech99”

Over 550 witnesses have reported a large early morning fireball seen across the southern states of Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, Louisiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida.

Occurring at approximately 06:48 CDT on October 12th, witnesses described glowing orange fragments seen while the sun was rising and the sky was bright. Numerous witnesses reported a blue smoke trail lingering for 5 minutes.

Below is a video of the event caught on a dashcam by Paul Sinka ©

Below is a another video of the event caught on a dashcam by Youtube user jrtech99 ©

Below is are two videos with narrative by AMS user Darrell Barnes©

Below are maps of the witness sightings and estimated trajectory.

ams2016-3903-witness
AMS Event#3903-2016 Witness Locations and Trajectory
ams2016-3903-heat
AMS Event#3903-2016 Heat Map and Trajectory

If you witnessed the fireball please fill out a report. If you recorded video or pictures of the fireball or the smoke trail please email them to mike.hankey [at] gmail.com.

This page will be updated as more information is received.

43 comments

  • Heather Renee' Foster 8 years ago

    Yes, As you know at night we are able to see Saturn, Mars, with the naked eye. I have been seeing another ‘red planet’ as well. What is this?

    Reply to Heather
    • Robert Lunsford 8 years ago

      Heather and All,

      The bright red star Antares lies in the same portion of the sky as Mars and Saturn. Perhaps this is what you are seeing?

      Robert Lunsford

      Reply to Robert
  • David Kenney 8 years ago

    Hey Mike my name is David Kenney. I’m a reporter with WLBT tv in Jackson MS. if you get emails and pictures of this meteorite will you be sharing them on your site? I’d love to use them if possible. Thanks

    Reply to David
    • amsadmin 8 years ago

      David,

      We will post any pictures or video we receive asap.

      Robert Lunsford

      Reply to amsadmin
  • Rick ingram 8 years ago

    I saw the meteor in Alabaster AL in the western sky. Blue/green BRIGHT streaking 11 to 4. It burned out about 20° over the horizon. Breaking into 2 pieces.

    Reply to Rick
  • Kathy Jones-Turner 8 years ago

    Saw the fireball around that time of morning. Was on my front porch and it went from east to west over my house.
    Bermuda, Alabama near Monroeville

    Reply to Kathy
  • BARRY NORTON 8 years ago

    SAW THE FIREBALL 10-12-16 AT 6:50 COMING IN TO MONTGOMERY FROM TALLASSEE. IT WAS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE AND JUST CAUGHT IT IN THE UPPER CORNER OF THE WINDSHIELD. IT WAS GREEN AND BRIGHT YELLOW AS IT BURST INTO MANY PIECES. WAS NEAT TO WATCH FOR ONLY A COUPLE OF SEC.

    Reply to BARRY
  • Jimmy Clay 8 years ago

    Saw it this morning 10/12/16 while driving on hey 120 on harassing county. Large bright fireball traveling ne to sw.

    Reply to Jimmy
  • Heather Kvasnicka 8 years ago

    I witnessed this on my way into work at Nashville international airport between 0645-0650 this morning. It was huge and bright

    Reply to Heather
    • Lindsay 8 years ago

      Seen in Rome Ga. as well … I saw it the instant it entered the Atmosphere … sparkled and then formed a blue white trail

      Reply to Lindsay
  • L Darge 8 years ago

    I saw the meteor while driving home from overnight plant shift in Sorrento, LA area. It was bright white like an arc welder’s flash but steadily moving quickly toward the western skyline.

    Reply to L
  • Cynthia Murchsion 8 years ago

    I witnessed a falling “object,” traveling east to west north of Picayune, Missisiippi at about 6:52 a.m. October 12, 2016. it’s head appeared to be “bluish” with a tail like the color of a sparkler on the 4th of July. The large size of the object was surprising, . It’s trajectory had no apparent arc. . It lasted, within my view, ia few seconds.

    Reply to Cynthia
    • Houston 8 years ago

      I saw a metor in Lumberton, ms. about 6:50 am head from to east to west today . Amazing view. That my second one I have seen.

      Reply to Houston
  • Kelly Cooper 8 years ago

    I saw it this morning! I thought I was losing my mind or someone was shooting fireworks!! It was the coolest thing I have ever seen!

    Reply to Kelly
    • Lindsay 8 years ago

      Very visible in Rome Ga. Unbelievably bright … my report apparently matches most others in time, track and color … Very Cool Indeed

      Reply to Lindsay
  • Steven Thomas 8 years ago

    I seen it this morning too. I was on the Westbank facing the Huey P Long bridge. It looked like a big burst of light streaking across the sky, it faded then got big again before fading away.

    Reply to Steven
  • Matt 8 years ago

    I was heading West west on hwy 80 just off I-65 @ 6:50 and seen a blueish-green object burn out about 20º above the western horizon. I took it as space junk. It’s pretty common occurrence.

    Reply to Matt
    • Candice 8 years ago

      Yes wen I saw it was blue more or a neon green color

      Reply to Candice
  • Brandon Gheorghiu 8 years ago

    Seen the fire ball this moring as I was traveling east bound on i22 n mississippi

    Reply to Brandon
  • Lynn 8 years ago

    I saw the fireball this morning on my way to work. Looked like a flare. Eufaula, Alabama

    Reply to Lynn
    • Candice 8 years ago

      Omg I said the exact thing I was going on & on for about a hr about it

      Reply to Candice
  • Lindsay 8 years ago

    I saw the same event this morning ( 10/12/2016 ) at approximately 7:48 this morning in Rome Ga. which is in NW Ga about 65 miles NW of Atlanta and 60 miles from Chattanooga. I witnessed it the second it entered the atmosphere saw I saw the very front end of the event. My recollection was of a Yellow / White ball with orange fragments and a blue white trail. Seems to jive with multiple other eye witness accounts. The guy riding with me swallowed his dip when I shouted METEOR ! 🙂 The sky was Chrystal Clear. From the report I saw it appears to has crossed between us and Columbus GA and perhaps slightly North of Birmingham AL … just guessing there.

    Reply to Lindsay
    • charlie ancona 8 years ago

      I was in Peachtree Corners, GA (Norcross, GA) and saw it at exactly 7:48 am, it was very low to my front right and was very bright, it was green in color and I saw no trail or fragments; it was in view for about 1 second. It is funny how the color varies but I guess it does so depending on where it appears in the sky and lots of other factors. It was the first time I have seen such a bright fireball. Very cool.

      Reply to charlie
  • Houston 8 years ago

    Large fireball in the sky over Lumberton, ms. Around 6:50 am today.

    Reply to Houston
  • Carolyn Monteith 8 years ago

    I saw the meteor in Mandeville, LA at about 6:48 am Oct. 12. A once in a lifetime sighting of huge very bright white light, traveling in straight trajectory at downward angle. Beautiful!

    Reply to Carolyn
  • Cody Ready 8 years ago

    Saw in rout to work, roughly 6:45 am, Wednesday October 12, 2016, on Jackson Liberty Rd, in the west Lincoln community of Mississippi. The fog was so thick at the time it was hard to even make out the tops of the trees along the road, when it flashed across from east to west. It was bright like a welding bead even through the thick fog, and appeared to have a trail of sparks behind it that dispersed quickly. Would have been quite a sight on a clear day.

    Reply to Cody
  • Stephanie 8 years ago

    I seen it this morning at the red light in Madison ,Tn it looked too slow and going not downwards enough to be meteor or space junk. It was bright green and dark cloudy long tail

    Reply to Stephanie
  • Josh 8 years ago

    Seen it in Oxford Ms. It was bright and looked close. Coolest thing I have ever seen.

    Reply to Josh
    • Candice 8 years ago

      Wen I saw I called my friend & I was going on & on and I was like if I had of ran I probably could have caught it. It was like it was 3D

      Reply to Candice
  • Tracey Bavaro 8 years ago

    I saw the fire ball yesterday morning around 6:45am. I was headed South on I85 in Montgomery, AL

    Reply to Tracey
  • Geraldine Cooper 8 years ago

    My daughter called me this moring, saying she saw a bright object traveling across the sky. She was on her way to work. Atlanta, Ga.

    Reply to Geraldine
    • Aunt feefee 8 years ago

      Oh my goodness , just amazing!!!!!

      Reply to Aunt
      • Geraldine Cooper 8 years ago

        Sorry you and I did not see it, as much as we are always looking in the sky. Dee said she wish I could have seen it, since I am the one who is so fascinated with everything that goes on above, and hardly never find anything. But I keep looking.

        Reply to Geraldine
  • Candice 8 years ago

    I was in moss point ms & my daughter and I saw it at 645 ish………..

    Reply to Candice
  • Ebony Femme 6 8 years ago

    Is it possible this was the reentry of the SL-6 Rocket Body?
    Reentry of the body happened on the 12th and was predicted to come down over the Pacific Ocean…
    I’d prefer this idea over rogue space rocks! (O_O)

    Reply to Ebony
    • amsadmin 8 years ago

      Nice thought but the SL-6 was predicted to reenter sometime later north of Australia. None of the tracks before or after pass near the area where this fireball was observed.

      Robert Lunsford

      Reply to amsadmin
  • Rick Barnett 8 years ago

    I was sitting behind a red light, on my way to work when I spotted this thing entering the atmosphere and began to break up, but went below the tree line. I have never seen anything like this before and didn’t know what to expect when this thing landed. I was in Newnan, Ga, so I was surprised to learn that it fell over Mississippi and was only 5 inches in size, when it looked large enough to be a rocket or small craft coming down!

    Reply to Rick
  • jw 8 years ago

    Glad I found this it answered my question. I saw the event going to work in Conyers GA. I sent myself the following text (at a stoplight) “I just saw a shooting star a missile or a plane just went down. Looking West on 138.” 10/12/16 7:50am

    Reply to jw
  • Cathy Brenner 8 years ago

    I saw it in Eastern Texas that morning. I had an open view of the horizon because I was driving East coming into Crockett from Centerville on Highway 7 at approximately 6:38 a.m. The sky was a bright orange, but the sun was still below the horizon. It crossed low on the horizon, went behind a bank of gray clouds and came out from behind them, curving around the horizon, blazing onward. It was a brilliant, palest golden-white light. I would describe it as looking like a sparkler traveling across the horizon.

    Reply to Cathy
  • John 8 years ago

    Huge fireball about 5:30 this morning seek off the west coast of Florida lasted 10 seconds looked like something out of the movies broke into 3 pieces. Thought it would have boomed

    Reply to John
  • Chaser 8 years ago

    I saw it the morning of October 12, 2016. I was near Pearl River, LA driving north on I-59. The fireball was moving east to west, and from my perspective, it was green in color.

    Reply to Chaser

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