American Meteor Society
Over 900 reports from 8 states
The AMS has received over 900 reports so far about of a slow and bright fireball seen above South and North Carolina on Thursday, April 4th 2019 around 6:50am EDT (10:50 Universal Time). The event was mainly seen from the Carolina’s but we also received reports from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia.
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Trajectory
The preliminary 3D trajectory computed based on all the reports submitted to the AMS shows that the fireball was traveling from West to East and ended its flight East of Ivanhoe, NC.
Videos and Photos
The event has been caught by Pat Branch from Greenville, PA on an AMS AllSky6 camera system:
We also received numerous videos of the event from witnesses – all of them can been seen from the AMS Event #1561-2019 page.
Fireball?
Several thousand meteors of fireball magnitude occur in the Earth’s atmosphere each day. 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.
Additionally, the brighter the fireball, the more rare is the event. As a general thumb rule, there are only about 1/3 as many fireballs present for each successively brighter magnitude class, following an exponential decrease. Experienced observers can expect to see only about 1 fireball of magnitude -6 or better for every 200 hours of meteor observing, while a fireball of magnitude -4 can be expected about once every 20 hours or so.
Caught pic of it from.clatks hill lake sc
I was wondering if you have ever seen an bright green Fireball like the one I saw this morning at 0650? I saw the Fireball while walking to work in Charleston SC. It was bright green, had a green train. I have never seen a meteor for that long of period of time as it flew across the sky silently.
I saw it this morning on my way to work at approximately 5:50Am CST. I was traveling north near Anniston AL.
I also witnessed this in Goose Creek, SC walking into work at around 0650. Very cool sight
I also saw the fireball as I was headed to school on the bus. I saw it at around 6:50 am. I was just sitting and then I looked out the bus window and I saw a streak of blue and orange fire falling from the sky. It was cool.
I saw a bright ball flying through the sky while I was outside taking the trash bag out that morning getting ready to leave for school around 6:45 and 6:50. I am for reals it was bright and beautiful you should have seen it!!!!
My boyfriend works at Hancock and Moore Hancock and Moore Furniture in Taylorsville, NC. They had a fire drill around 6:50 am. The whole plant was outside and witnessed this event.
the Universe speaks that meteor was for me
I was in my way to work this morning and I was between lake city and live oak Florida, about 10 miles south of Wellborn, Florida. Very awesome thing to witness.
I was on the way to work in Greenville NC around 8:45am when I saw the fireball. I saw it as I slowed for the stoplight at the airport. It was the slowest event I believe I ever witnessed. It seemed fairly low as well. It was larger and brighter than it showed in any of the videos.
I saw it this morning @ about 6:45am in winterville NC I agree it was very low and very bright green, maybe two different ones
I see 2 times in this week same place same hour but different direction, 6:50 on my way to my work in the mountains, habersham. First time very close second time little mor e far.
Thurs., 1/4/19
We were on our way home from our son’s baseball game tonight! Just saw one again in Charleston, SC!!! It was green and beautiful!
I saw a green bolide low in the sky that night also. Maybe between 9-11 to the east. In Pensacola, FL. Green and big as hell, so weird…
We live in South Georgia and my husband seen it around 6am!
I saw it this morning in Aiken south Carolina about 650
I witnessed this fireball yesterday morning…and to think I was the only one to have seen it!! It was magnificent and grand as it flew through the quiet morning sky. A spectacular experience that meant much to me personally as a sign of “rebirth”…thank you Lord for such an event. All things are created by God…nature and the universe can speak to us!!
In Maryville, TN and not only saw it walking into work but heard it. I looked up to find what sounded like the high pitched whine when you watch video of a bomb being dropped in older wars. I saw flames of orange and green. Then it fizzled out.
There was a large group of us at Fort Gordon, GA conducting an APFT in a large open field. We had a great look at it for the entire time because there was nothing in the way of our view. Someone ask me what was that, so I said they are really going all out to promote this new Avengers movie.
I saw one in Southern Pines, North Carolina Wednesday night around 9:50pm!
My daughter and I saw it as we were driving to school Thursday morning, in Northern Hamilton County, East Tennessee.
I believe I heard the meteor hit the ground. Milford Utau. Thought it was a earthquake,but it must of been that meteor everybody saw over there in the east. There was a violent sound from deep underground.
Did anybody else hear in utau?
I saw this meteorite moving West to East on my way to work in Tallahassee FL 6;49 A/M. I was going North, I was on the South side of town. It looked like a silver star, I was thinking satellite or ISS, but saw its trail as it was breaking up.
I was near Kinard SC and around 6:40 am on April 4 2019, saw a blue/green fireball or Meteor fall for several seconds I was facing north eastward and it appeared to be falling from southwest to north eastward, I watched it until it disappeared behind the tree tops, it first appeared high or straight up when I noticed it.
Very helpful information shared. Thanks!
I live in North Augusta, SC. Tonight (Sept 30) I walked outside with my dog, at what happened to be perfect timing. It was between 10:40-10:45 when I saw the most awesome “fireball”. I’m just an amateur but that’s how I would describe it. It was an absolutely AMAZING sight. It came from behind me, right over my head and seemed low in the sky compared to other “shooting stars” I’ve seen. I immediately felt such a spiritual connection with God and the Universe. I agree with others who say such an event feels very personal. I like to think of it as a sign from above (literally!)… perhaps God saying hello.
It happened so fast. I was wishing I could hit rewind and see it again. I feel blessed to have witnessed such a phenomenal celestial event!!
Did anyone else happen to catch this one?
I saw the one on October 4th in South Carolina when I was hunting and it broke up right over our heads! I looked like a transformer exploded the flash was so bright. It turned the whole area white with bright light. No sonic boom was heard. It was spectacular. I was in Ehrhardt (sic) and this occurred at exactly 6:28AM
I saw a meteor around 7:30 pm in Patrick SC. The really cool thing was that I heard it also. It was very strange because it was as if the sound was coming from all around me in a way that I could feel. It was as if it was making my hair resonate at a frequency that sounded like sizzling radio static. It was so strange. But sorry no alien message. Just a sizzling sound that I could slightly feel or sense around my head