Current:Home > MyWatch as shooting star burns brightly, awes driver as it arcs across Tennessee sky -Ascend Finance Compass
Watch as shooting star burns brightly, awes driver as it arcs across Tennessee sky
View
Date:2025-04-16 21:51:22
A meteor made a surprise appearance in the sky early Friday morning, burning brightly as it traveled across two neighboring states before dissipating.
Glenn Sparks, a driver headed east on Interstate 40 in Tennessee, documented the moment on Facebook, writing that he had just witnessed the "most amazing meteor of my life" at around 1 a.m. on Friday.
The shooting star, according to Sparks, looked like it was roughly over Greeneville, about 65 miles east of Knoxville, when he spotted it.
"It lit up the sky for over 10 seconds with multiple explosions along the way," Sparks wrote. "Absolutely gorgeous!"
Watch: Meteor briefly illuminate Tennessee skyline
Southwest Virginia residents also caught sight of the fleeting ball of fire, capturing the meteor, also known as a shooting star, on video as it whizzed by in a matter of seconds.
Sparks' awe was audible in the video clip that he took, saying "What?" and erupting into laughter.
While Sparks may have been in awe, meteoroids enter Earth's atmosphere regularly, with NASA estimating that that "several meteors per hour" can usually be seen on any given night.
"Scientists estimate that about 48.5 tons of meteoritic material falls on Earth each day," according to NASA. "Almost all the material is vaporized in Earth's atmosphere, leaving a bright trail fondly called 'shooting stars.'"
veryGood! (17)
Related
- Mets have visions of grandeur, and a dynasty, with Juan Soto as major catalyst
- Many chocolate products contain worrying levels of lead or other heavy metals, Consumer Reports says
- Imprisoned apostle of Mexican megachurch La Luz del Mundo charged with federal child pornography
- Police search for 'armed, dangerous' man after Maine shooting leaves 18 dead: Live updates
- Average rate on 30
- UK PM Sunak warns against rush to regulate AI before understanding its risks
- Toyota recalls 751,000 Highlanders in the US to make sure bumper covers and hardware can’t fall off
- Book excerpt: Mary and the Birth of Frankenstein by Anne Eekhout
- Federal appeals court upholds $14.25 million fine against Exxon for pollution in Texas
- Mom convicted of killing kids in Idaho will be sent to Arizona to face murder conspiracy charges
Ranking
- Why we love Bear Pond Books, a ski town bookstore with a French bulldog 'Staff Pup'
- Police search for 'armed, dangerous' man after Maine shooting leaves 18 dead: Live updates
- China and the U.S. appear to restart military talks despite disputes over Taiwan and South China Sea
- NFL trade deadline targets: 23 players who could be on block
- This was the average Social Security benefit in 2004, and here's what it is now
- Palestinian activist is expelled by Israeli forces from his home in a volatile West Bank city
- Falcons coach Arthur Smith shrugs off NFL inquiry into Bijan Robinson not being on injury report
- Brian Austin Green Slams DWTS for Not Inviting Sharna Burgess to Len Goodman Tribute
Recommendation
SFO's new sensory room helps neurodivergent travelers fight flying jitters
A murder warrant is issued for a Massachusetts man wanted in the shooting death of his wife
Poland’s president calls for new parliament to hold first session Nov. 13
UAW reaches tentative labor agreement with Ford, potentially ending partial strike
Spooky or not? Some Choa Chu Kang residents say community garden resembles cemetery
Hurricane Otis causes damage, triggers landslides after making landfall in Mexico as Category 5 storm
Strong US economic growth for last quarter likely reflected consumers’ resistance to Fed rate hikes
Starbucks threatened to deny abortion travel benefits for workers seeking to unionize, judge says