ILLINOIS — A bright fireball was reported just after 11:30 PM Tuesday night, with sightings stretching across parts of the Midwest and lower Great Lakes region. Based on reports submitted to the American Meteor Society, the meteor was visible across portions of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky, moving from east to west before gradually dissipating in the night sky.
According to the shared visibility map, the potential viewing area included major cities such as Chicago and Champaign (Illinois), Kalamazoo and Detroit (Michigan), Fort Wayne and Indianapolis (Indiana), Dayton and Athens (Ohio), and Louisville (Kentucky). The fireball was described as a bright, possibly green-tinted object that faded as it traveled westward.
Where It Was Likely Seen
The mapped zone highlights a wide oval-shaped area covering:
- Northern and Central Illinois (including Chicago and Champaign)
- Northern Indiana (Fort Wayne)
- Central Indiana (Indianapolis)
- Southern Michigan (Kalamazoo, Detroit region)
- Western and Central Ohio (Dayton, Athens)
- Northern Kentucky (Louisville area)
No additional cities outside this highlighted region were specified in the provided data.
Direction of Travel and Viewing Angle
Reports indicate the fireball traveled from east to west. Depending on exact location within the viewing area, observers were advised to check north-facing security or doorbell cameras, as that direction may have captured the streaking object.
The event occurred shortly after 11:30 PM, increasing the likelihood that overnight home surveillance systems may have recorded the glowing object.
What Makes a Fireball Different?
A fireball is an unusually bright meteor that becomes visible when a fragment of space debris enters Earth’s atmosphere and burns up due to friction. Some fireballs appear green or blue because of the minerals they contain, and they often fade or fragment before disappearing completely…