Comet Fragment Fireball Explodes Over Great Lakes Region

A spectacular green fireball, believed to be a fragment from a comet, illuminated the skies over the Great Lakes region in the early hours of Sunday, November 23. The dramatic event was widely observed, with dozens of witnesses reporting the meteor's rapid passage and fiery descent. Videos captured by groups like Michigan Storm Chasers documented the phenomenon, which was visible for hundreds of miles.

The fireball's visibility extended across multiple US states, including Michigan, Wisconsin, and Indiana, with reports reaching as far as Lancaster, Ohio, approximately 340 miles (550 kilometers) away, according to the American Meteorological Society (AMS). Witness accounts and video evidence provided crucial data for tracking the object's trajectory and impact.

NASA subsequently analyzed the meteor's path, confirming it became visible at an altitude of 62 miles (100 km) above Hubbard Lake. Traveling at an astonishing speed of 98,500 mph (160,000 km/h), the fragment traversed another 82 miles (132 km) before disintegrating 46 miles (74 km) above Lake Huron. NASA representatives clarified that this event was a distinct occurrence, not associated with any active meteor shower, such as the ongoing Leonid shower.

The distinctive green hue of the fireball is attributed to a high concentration of metals like nickel burning up in the atmosphere, a common characteristic of faster meteoroids. Other elements can produce different colors, with sodium yielding yellow and magnesium appearing blue-white. This event follows similar green fireball sightings, including one over New Zealand in July 2022 and another that impacted Lake Ontario in November 2022.