Spectacular Daylight Fireball Streaks Across Southeast US Skies, Causing Booms
Residents across several southeastern U.S. states witnessed a dramatic and rare event around midday on Thursday, June 26, 2025, as a brilliant fireball – an exceptionally bright meteor – blazed across the clear blue sky. The sighting, reported by hundreds, was accompanied by loud booms and house-shaking rumbles for many, sparking widespread surprise and some confusion.
Reports flooded in from at least six states, including Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, and Virginia. The American Meteor Society quickly received over 160 reports within minutes of the event, which occurred around 12:24-12:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
What People Saw and Heard
Eyewitnesses described a sudden, intense flash of light, often likened to a “mini sun falling” or a “giant ball of fire,” streaking rapidly across the sky with a visible tail. Despite the full daylight, the object was bright enough to be easily seen. Dashcam videos, including one recorded in Anderson County, South Carolina, and others from Georgia, captured the blazing object’s descent. Satellite data also appeared to show a streak and a bright flash associated with the event.
Significantly, many observers reported hearing powerful sounds after the visual sighting. These were described as loud booms, concussions, rumbles, and sounds that shook houses. Initially, some residents wondered if they were experiencing an earthquake. However, officials including the National Weather Service and U.S. Geological Survey confirmed no seismic activity occurred, indicating the sounds were atmospheric in origin, likely from the meteor’s disintegration.
Understanding the Phenomenon: A Powerful Bolide
Scientists classify this event as a bolide, a type of fireball that explodes during its passage through the atmosphere. NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office provided key details: the object was first detected about 48 miles above Oxford, Georgia, traveling southwest at an incredible speed of 30,000 miles per hour. It later exploded at an altitude of around 27 miles above West Forest, Georgia.
Estimates from NASA suggest the fireball was roughly 3 feet in diameter and weighed over a ton (more than 2,000 pounds). The energy released during its atmospheric breakup was calculated to be equivalent to about 20 tons of TNT. This powerful detonation created a pressure wave that reached the ground, causing the widespread reports of loud booms and shaking.
While most meteors burn up completely high in the atmosphere, larger ones like this become fireballs. If fragments survive and reach the ground, they are then called meteorites.
Rarity of a Midday Sight
Witnessing a fireball in broad daylight is a particularly rare occurrence. According to the American Meteor Society, such events happen globally only about once per month on average, accounting for less than 1% of total recorded meteor events. Most people live their entire lives without seeing one.
Robert Lunsford of the American Meteor Society suggested this daylight fireball could potentially be linked to the Beta Taurid meteor shower, which is active around this time and peaks around June 25th, although these meteors are typically difficult to see.
Potential Meteorite Impact Reported
Adding to the extraordinary nature of the event, authorities in Henry County, Georgia (near McDonough), reported property damage strongly suspected to be from meteor debris. A residential home sustained a hole in its roof and ceiling, with rocky debris found scattered inside. Images shared by emergency management officials supported the theory of a direct hit by a fragment. If confirmed, this would be a rare instance of a meteor impacting a building in the United States. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
The dramatic event serves as a vivid reminder of Earth’s constant interaction with space debris, underscoring the ongoing efforts by scientists to monitor near-Earth objects and understand their behavior upon entering our atmosphere.
