News
Large Fireball over Southern California
215 witnesses have reported a large fireball over Southern California on November 6th around 7:50pm PST (3:50 on 11/7 UT). The fireball was seen from primarily California, but witnesses from Arizona, Nevada and Utah also reported seeing the fireball.
At least one video of the event has been recorded.
Here is the current heat map for the event that shows where the witnesses reported from. Click the image below to review the event map and witness reports for this fireball.
Heat Map – AMS Event #2765-2013
A preliminary trajectory plot shows the meteor entered over the San Diego County, CA (North East) and flew on a south west trajectory, ending somewhere near Lake Henshaw.
Preliminary trajectory – AMS Event #2765-2013
If you saw this fireball, please report it here.
36 comments
Marina Galatro ·
I saw it on my way home from the SD airport. I was heading toward downtown SD when I saw this bright flash in the sky. It was like a lightning flash.
Vince ·
I saw this last night off of Hawthorne blvd and Sepulveda. Looking south, it was moving east to west. I looked at my clock afterwards at 7:50 PM. I saw two bright white/orange explosions as it came down, seemed like it was breaking up, but the final explosion was a BRIGHT electric blue. It looked like electricity. My first thoughts were power line, then missile, then meteor.
Aaron Gifford ·
I have a video of it also, I just uploaded it. -Aaron
Candice ·
I live in Phoenix, AZ and saw it at about 8:50 p.m. AZ time. I was driving north on a city street and had just turned west onto a residential street. It was very low in the sky and easily visible against the black sky. It was exciting for me because I have never seen anything like it before. It was streaking from left to right and was yellow/orange and then it was gone. I thought it was a shooting star but now I'm excited that it was a meteor.
Camille Victour ·
I saw it in Palm Desert, CA at 7:50. Happened so fast I couldn't really tell what it was at first. It seemed so close I braked in my car thinking I might hit it! Amazing sight!
Ched W ·
I clearly remember seeing this meteor while walking to my truck from the ship at Naval Base San Diego. I was walking along the quay wall which is about 144T or southeast (pier heading is 054T). I saw two prominent blue green flashes about a half second apart, and remember thinking, "Lightning? In San Diego?" When I looked up by reflex, to the east I saw the remnants of the fireball. I reported it as travelling east, but thinking back, and after reading on here it was moving west, I cannot recall if I actually saw enough of it to say how it was heading. It was blue green in color, however, and I did not hear any booms.
Aloma ·
I was driving from Rancho Mirage towards Whitewater, CA on the Interstate 10 when there was a big flash that lit up the sky. I thought it was lightning, although it seemed strange as there were no clouds in the sky.
Deb ·
I live in Cedar City, Utah. I was sitting upstairs watching basketball on TV and looking out my huge windows that face south when I seen a streak then a huge orange fireball and explosion. It looked like it came from the South and was going to the Southwest. I seen it just a second or two before it exploded and it looked like an orange cluster.
Scott Jones ·
I saw this one driving home in Las Vegas, Nevada -- It looked like it was in the south end of town! Pretty awesome to see something this bright through the light pollution of Las Vegas!
Jan F. ·
My neighbor and I saw it in north Phoenix at 8:45 or so..beautiful and big compared to falling stars....white with orange around one edge..
Carl ·
I saw this meteor from Napa, CA in the southern sky traveling westerly. I couldn't find any local news and was surprised today to learn that it entered the atmosphere over San Diego County. As stated by others it appeared to flash bluish-green.
Pamela Langford ·
I saw it on Bob Hope drive just after getting off the 10 heading home nto Rancho Mirage, CA after spending the day at the LA zoo....it streaked across the sky then flashed like lightening or like a camera flash going off...it was awesome!!!!
Dave Greaves ·
On 11-08-2013 around 7pm I and another person while walking our dogs both saw an above normal fireball traveling across the sky over Los Angeles. This is the next night after the larger one around same time the night before that this page is about.. This one on the 8th seemed very similar to one night before but smaller. We were in Long Beach CA on pacific coast highway 1 just north of the traffic circle walking north in front of the Rodeway inn/hotel. We were not looking that way but both noticed it anyways and both turned to see it very clearly as it traveled passing out of view behind the rodeways big sign then could again see as it kept going from the other side of the sign then burned out.. Maybe 3 seconds or so? one or the other of us often see a brief streak but never both of us like this.. this was much bigger then things we normally see.. the timing made us wonder if it could in anyway be related to the previous nights fireball.
Kevin T ·
I was at Majestic Softball Fields in Las Vegas, facing south when I saw the fireball. I didn't note the time, but it was during the middle of our practice, between 7 and 9 pm. I'd estimate it was around 20 degrees above the southern horizon, flat trajectory--maybe 15 degrees down from east to west. It brightened initially, cooled off, then brightened again...all in a short time span, of course. I've been lucky to see many fireballs in my lifetime, including the daylight fireball of August 10, 1972, when I was living in Idaho.
Jeanette ·
I live in Utah and i saw it. I thought out was a very bright shooting star.
Amanda ·
I saw it in Tooele, Utah. Around 7:00.
Amanda ·
Jk- to my last post- I thought this was for 11/10/13. Duh! My bad! I saw one last night 11/10/13 at 7:00 pm MST
Alma ·
I was standing at Huntington, CA pier around 7ish when I saw a 3-4 second long streak in the sky. I was looking towards Long beach, it looked like it was between Huntington and Longbeach, as if it was heading out the city. I had never seen, what I called, a huge beautiful falling star, like that in my life, I felt so lucky.
amber ·
Just saw a big green fireball over Newton,Ks! Anyone else?
Randy Pectol ·
I trying to find someone that saw the green fireball streaking through southern hemisphere of the Phoenix sky. The fireball was traveling from west into the east. It was @ about 8:30 PM on November 19th, 2013. I know Sky Harbor airport had to see it because the control tower faces it, but I've heard not a word from anyone and with what I've not been hearing from our Government is what has me quite worried over the whole thing.
Vincent Perlerin ·
Randy,
If you were to look at the fireball reports received by the AMS, you will find 14 other witnesses of your fireball. See: http://www.amsmeteors.org/fireball_event/2013/2975
Robert Lunsford American Meteor Society
john quintana ·
could you send me the video of the meteor ....thank you
Vincent Perlerin ·
John,
I'm sorry but the video is not ours to forward. We only have permission to post it on our website with credit to the owner. It may be viewed via the link in the article at:
http://www.amsmeteors.org/videos/?video_id=105
I hope this helps.
Robert Lunsford American Meteor Society
Aaron Gifford ·
If you want a copy of my video, email me here: agifford@aubreygroup.com I can upload it to dropbox and send you a link. Regards, Aaron
Aaron Gifford ·
By the way, it was shown on channel 7 news in LA and on ABC nightly news.
Michael Chamberlain ·
From Redondo Beach near the Galleria Mall a green fireball decended vertically slightly North of West. Dec 14 around 3 AM.
Tyler ·
I saw it. I know this is a late comment, but I was able to see it from my neighborhood in Oceanside.
Todd ·
I saw it from Rancho Bernardo San Diego CA. It appears only a second from white turning into red. It seems a huge object on fire at the end. Too short to pull out my phone for it. Any identification on that??
Jonathan Cruz ·
It was around at 6:07 pm, I made it home at Rancho Mirage at the bus stop. The light came out of nowhere at the sky and it is amazing that I ever saw. All my neighbors saw it too and we've have witness the great fireball at the sky. This is so cool and awesome. I hope I want see it again to take a video.
Peter ·
I saw it from the Santa Ynez Valley, It had a large green plume that later changed to white (ish) it appear to travel traveling West with a touch of North. I watched it for a few minutes and the slowed disappeared out over the Pacific ocean. I have never seen something like this - fantastic!!
Vincent Perlerin ·
Jonathan and All,
The unusual light show observed last night from California and outlying areas was the unannounced launch of an unarmed Trident II (D5) submarine launched ballistic missile. The Trident was launched off of the southern California coast by the submarine USS Kentucky.
The interesting display was caused by the missile's exhaust plume being illuminated at high altitude by the Sun's rays after the sun had set for observers on the ground.
Trident launches occur off of the California coast from time to time. However, the Navy does not announce in advance that a launch is scheduled.
Quoted from "Launch Alert" notices
Vincent Perlerin ·
Peter and All,
Yours was not the fireball that occurred over Southern California on November 6th. Rather it was an unannounced Navy missile test that occurred on the following evening. See below...
Robert Lunsford
Lyn Kaveney ·
I just saw a large “fireball” in the eastern sky drop from straight up to straight down from Aliso Viejo, CA.... What was this?
Robert Lunsford ·
Lyn and All,
A fireball is just a meteor that is larger and brighter than normal. These occur every day all over the world. Most of them are missed because they occur during the day or are obscured by clouds. Even when the sky is clear people are usually out at night only during the times following dusk and preceding dawn. Even if you are outside under a clear sky you need to be facing the right direction or you will miss it. Fireballs rarely last more than a few seconds so for these reasons this makes each one seen a rarity on a personal level. One can increase their chances of seeing another fireball by viewing during one of the major annual showers. The next one is predicted to occur on the night of December 13/14, 2017.
I hope this helps!
Robert Lusnford
Barb ·
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ray biris ·
5 years ago driving down ramon rd around 5:pm heading towards palm springs this great ball of fire came over the mt heading towards rancho mirage it was yellow and orange with afire tail i watched it for about 5 seconds then it split and was gone it was amazing to see i am sorry every one didnt get to see it
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