Rocks from outer space are constantly hurtling toward Earth, slamming into the atmosphere and often exploding into fireballs that both delight and alarm people. Thankfully, the vast majority cause no damage because they are smashed into small chunks or dust. A fireball streaked across the sky near Cleveland this week, caused by what was thought to be a space rock weighing 7 tons. The American Meteor Society says it was seen from Wisconsin to Maryland. No fragments have been found yet.
A 7-ton meteor that sped across the Cleveland sky at 45,000 miles per hour on Tuesday broke apart in a thunderous boom that startled residents who feared an explosion. People several states away reported seeing the bright fireball even though it was 9 a.m. The American Meteor Society said it received reports from Wisconsin to Maryland. NASA later confirmed that it was a meteor nearly 6 feet in diameter. Astronomer Carl Hergenrother says meteors typically fall about once a day in the U.S. The meteor was first seen about 50 miles above Lake Erie.