On July 25, 2024, a bright fireball streaked across the sky, recorded on Rebecca Woods’s home security camera in San Marco, California. Viewers reported sightings from California to Texas. Although there has been much speculation, the fireball first seen over San Diego remains unidentified.
Videos by InspireMore
The black and white security camera footage appears grainy in spots, but the fireball was readily visible over the San Diego skies. The American Meteor Society has received numerous reports of the giant fireball. Some preliminary “best guesses” include that it is a meteor or possibly space junk burning in the atmosphere.
While many speculations have plausible explanations, no one has identified the event definitively. Reports began pouring in shortly after 9:20 PM. In New Mexico, a viewer reported that it appeared the object was “breaking up.” As objects soar through Earth’s atmosphere, they often leave a flaming tail as they “fall” across the sky.
The most credible speculation comes from Prof Alonso Mendez, who believes the object was a Japanese H-IIA rocket. Prof Mendez leads a local meteorologist group that conducts weather monitoring. NASA has monitored the satellite, launched on September 11, 2010, and identified the equipment as a QZS 1 Japanese navigation satellite. The satellite is nicknamed Michibiki, which means “guiding the way.”
A similar event occurred earlier this year when a fireball was visible in the skies over Spain and Portugal. Scientific examination revealed that the object was a piece of a comet that had broken free. The fireball resulted from a comet fragment passing through Earth’s atmosphere.
Many people took to social media to discuss the event. Others have posted footage from security cameras showing the fireball traveling across the sky. Please share with your sky-loving friends.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
Want to be happier in just 5 minutes a day? Sign up for Morning Smile and join over 455,000+ people who start each day with good news.
