Hundreds Report Seeing Fireball Shoot Across VA Skies

VIRGINIA — A bright light flashing across the skies Monday night caught the eye of many residents in Virginia and across the East Coast.

The American Meteor Society had more than 230 people in the eastern United States report seeing the bright fireball, sometime between 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Monday.

On the AMS website, many residents reported seeing a greenish light streak through the sky, while others say they saw a more traditional reddish or white fireball. Reports in Virginia stretched from Northern Virginia to the Shenandoah Valley in the west to Richmond and Williamsburg to the south.

The Taurid meteor shower was at its peak on Sunday and Monday. This long-running meteor shower is known for bright fireballs, so it's possible it was one of those meteors that people saw in the sky.

Places where people in Virginia saw the meteor include Arlington, Alexandria, Herndon, Sterling, Leesburg, Warrenton, Manassas, Clifton, Lorton, Woodbridge and Fredericksburg. One resident in Arlington said, "it was abnormally large from the ones I've seen in the past."

Another person in Clifton described it as fast, bright and large with a short trail.

"The entire thing was low on the horizon from where I was sitting on the couch. I just happened to look over and see it. It was exciting to see!" the resident reported.

You can see it in these two videos posted from the Washington, D.C., area.

This meteor was seen as far north as Toronto and as far south as Williamsburg, Virginia. Sightings also stretched as far west as Grand Rapids, Michigan. Some people in New York State in Connecticut also reported seeing the fireball.

The final supermoon of the year will also rise on Friday, with the Leonid meteor shower peaking late next Sunday night, Nov. 17, into Monday.