How common are fireballs streaking across the sky?

This image made from video shows video taken from a surveillance camera showing a suspected meteor falling through the sky in Olmsted Falls, Ohio, on Tuesday, March, 17, 2026. (Olmsted Falls City Schools via AP) 2026-03-18T16:45:24Z The Earth is under assault. Space rocks are constantly hurtling toward us, slamming into the atmosphere and often exploding into fireballs that both delight and alarm. Thankfully, the vast majority cause no damage because they are pulverized into dust or small chunks by the journey to Earth. A fireball streaked across the sky near Cleveland this week , caused by what was thought to be a space rock nearly 6 feet (1.8 meters) across and weighing 7 tons. It was seen from Wisconsin to Maryland, according to the American Meteor Society. It traveled more than 34 miles (55 kilometers) through the upper atmosphere before breaking apart, according to NASA. No fragments have been found yet. As dramatic as it was, it was also incredibly common. Here’s what to know: What’s the difference between a meteor and an asteroid? An asteroid is a chunk of rock, ice or metal that’s left over from the solar system’s formation 4.6 billion years ago. A meteoroid is a fragment of a larger space rock such as an asteroid or comet. A meteor is the light emitted from a meteoroid or asteroid as it burns up through the atmosphere. If a meteor is brighter than the planet Venus in the morning or evening sky, it is called a fireball. If a chunk of it makes it to land, it’s called a meteorite. How common are meteors? Flashes of light from meteoroids are incredibly common, and there are times — called meteor showers — when they can be seen every few minutes in the night sky, weather permitting. The Perseids meteor shower , which happens in mid-August every year, is considered the best , according to NASA. How common are fireballs? There are “several thousand” meteors that would qualify as fireballs in the Earth’s atmosphere every day, according to the meteor society. The pr

原文链接: AP News