Rare Fireball Illuminates Eastern U.S. Skies with Sonic Boom A bright fireball, visible during daylight hours, streaked across the skies of the eastern United States on Tuesday morning, producing a sonic boom in parts of the region. The phenomenon, likely caused by a meteor burning through Earth’s atmosphere, was reported by observers in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Ohio around 9 a.m. ET. The event was notable for its intensity, as fireballs typically burn as bright or brighter than Venus, the third-brightest object in the night sky, according to NASA. The meteor’s rapid movement through the atmosphere triggered a loud boom in the Cleveland area, as it broke the sound barrier, the National Weather Service noted. The bright flash from the fireball was also detected by a satellite instrument usually designed to monitor lightning activity. Such daytime sightings are uncommon, as they require the fireball to be significantly brighter than night-time events, the American Meteor Society explained. The American Meteor Society confirmed the sighting to CNN in June 2025, when a similar fireball was widely observed across the Southeast U.S. The occurrence coincided with a period of low meteor activity, as no active meteor showers are expected until the Lyrids meteor shower begins on April 17.#nasa #national_weather_service #cleveland #american_meteor_society #eastern_us
