Fireball Blazes Over Northeast Sky, Wows Connecticut Stargazers

CONNECTICUT — A spectacular fireball lit up the skies over the Northeast on Monday night, prompting more than 100 reports to the American Meteor Society—including a handful of dazzled eyewitnesses right here in Connecticut.

The meteor streaked across the atmosphere around 8:07 p.m., glowing brightly enough to turn heads in at least seven states, including Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island.

In Stonington, one observer "at dusk, not dark yet" described seeing a "very bright" fireball, "yellowish-white to white," that "had width, it was not just a streak," travelling eastward. A Stratford skywatcher reported seeing a "lone flare. Bright orange/red with a flared tail" around sunset while heading north on Interstate 95.

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Most witnesses said the fireball made no sound, and the blaze lasted roughly 1.5 to 3 seconds. According to the American Meteor Society, a fireball is simply a meteor that shines brighter than the planet Venus—an impressive feat, especially when visible through the light-polluted skies of the East Coast.

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While fireballs aren’t everyday fare, they’re not strangers to the region. In December 2023, a similar event sparked excitement across Connecticut when a slow-moving fireball passed overhead, drawing nearly 200 reports. And in 2016, a bolide (a fireball that explodes) briefly turned night into day over the New Haven area, rattling windows and nerves alike.

Historically, Connecticut has seen its fair share of celestial drama. In 1807, a brilliant daytime fireball exploded over Weston, prompting one of the earliest recorded meteorite recoveries in the U.S. The so-called “Weston Meteorite” even landed a place in Yale's Peabody Museum.

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For skywatchers lucky enough to catch Monday’s show, it was another reminder to keep looking up—you never know when the cosmos will decide to put on a surprise performance.