Glowing Fireball With ‘Visible Debris Trail’ Seen Over New York State

Residents in New York state and the Northeast reported a bright glowing object in the skies early August 28. One report from a resident in New York described the streaking fireball as having a "very visible debris trail" that glowed.

What Do The Different Colors of Meteors Mean?

According to AccuWeather Meteorologist Dave Samuhel, "different chemicals in the meteors produce different colors as they burn up while entering the Earth’s atmosphere".

A fireball that turns yellow may indicate a meteor rich in iron, says IFLScience. 

AccuWeather says speed is another factor, as the blue and other more brilliant colored fireballs mean the object is traveling faster than a fainter one.

See Also: Meteor Explosion Causes Shaking and Loud Boom Over Parts of New York

Fireballs are defined by the International Astronomical Union as "a meteor brighter than any of the planets". Meteors and fireballs can easily light up the sky, as these fast-moving space rocks often burn up in the upper parts of Earth's atmosphere upon entry.

Glowing Fireball With 'Visible Debris Trail' Seen Over New York State 

Residents in New York and neighboring states reported to the American Meteor Society that a bright fireball was seen above the night sky right after midnight August 28.

Some reports described the object as yellow or white in color, as the trajectory path took the object high over parts of the Hudson Valley around Saugerties and Catskill, according to the AMS's map.

The Perseids meteor shower peaked back on August 11 and 12, though meteors can still occur through September 1. This latest fireball does not appear to be associated with the Perseids.

See Also: Object Traveling Over 38 Thousand MPH Reported Over Lower Hudson Valley

See Also: New York State Resident Reports "Cylindrical Shaped" Hovering Object