Current:Home > ContactWatch as shooting star burns brightly, awes driver as it arcs across Tennessee sky -FutureProof Finance
Watch as shooting star burns brightly, awes driver as it arcs across Tennessee sky
View
Date:2025-04-11 21:05:24
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! (61754)
Related
- Why members of two of EPA's influential science advisory committees were let go
- Alexa PenaVega Is Pregnant, Expecting Baby No. 4 With Carlos PenaVega
- Man sentenced to probation for threats made to Indiana congressman
- Federal safety officials launch probe into Chicago commuter train crash
- Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie return for an 'Encore,' reminisce about 'The Simple Life'
- Four of 7 officers returned to regular duty after leak of Nashville school shooting records
- Open AI founder Sam Altman is suddenly out as CEO of the ChatGPT maker
- Is a Barbie Sequel In the Works? Margot Robbie Says…
- Global Warming Set the Stage for Los Angeles Fires
- 'I got you!' Former inmate pulls wounded Houston officer to safety after shootout
Ranking
- IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power
- How the US strikes a delicate balance in responding to attacks on its forces by Iran-backed militias
- Man convicted in death of woman whose body was found in duffel bag along rural road
- Salmonella in cantaloupes sickens dozens in 15 states, U.S. health officials say
- Rams vs. 49ers highlights: LA wins rainy defensive struggle in key divisional game
- World's first gene therapy for sickle cell and thalassemia approved in the U.K.
- Despite loss of 2 major projects, New Jersey is moving forward with its offshore wind power goals
- Haitian immigrants sue Indiana over law that limits driver’s license access to certain Ukrainians
Recommendation
Why we love Bear Pond Books, a ski town bookstore with a French bulldog 'Staff Pup'
Judge finds Voting Rights Act violation in North Dakota redistricting for two tribes
Pilot suffers minor injuries in small plane crash in southern Maine
First person charged under Australia’s foreign interference laws denies working for China
Where will Elmo go? HBO moves away from 'Sesame Street'
FedEx mistakenly delivers $20,000 worth of lottery tickets to Massachusetts woman's home
The Excerpt podcast: Body of Israeli abducted in Hamas rampage found
Texas A&M interviews UTSA's Jeff Traylor for open head football coach position