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Fireball Meteor Lights Up California Skies at 35,000 MPH

3/25/2026

41 6 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

A bright fireball lit Northern California on March 22, 2026, 8 p.m., with 240 reports from California, Arizona, and Nevada.
The meteor traveled 35,000 mph and burned for five seconds, appearing as a greenish streak.
NASA said sighting is unrelated to meteors seen in Ohio and Texas, noting trajectory and speed.
Videos from residents and observatories helped track its path from 49 miles above Chowchilla to 29 miles above Colfax.

History

Historical Context

The Great Meteor Shower of November 13, 1833, dazzled North America with an estimated 100,000 meteors per hour, marking a pivotal moment in the study of meteors. This event led Denison Olmsted to propose that meteors originated from space debris, shifting scientific understanding. The ongoing fascination with meteors, highlighted by recent sightings in California, continues to inspire both public interest and scientific inquiry.

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Story summary

A bright fireball lit Northern California on March 22, 2026, 8 p.m., with 240 reports from California, Arizona, and Nevada.
The meteor traveled 35,000 mph and burned for five seconds, appearing as a greenish streak.
NASA said sighting is unrelated to meteors seen in Ohio and Texas, noting trajectory and speed.
Videos from residents and observatories helped track its path from 49 miles above Chowchilla to 29 miles above Colfax.

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