Large Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Ontario Canada Meteor Fireball 04OCT2011

Email From:

Karen S.-Novi, MI:

Tonight (October 4 2011)  around 8 pm we heard a boom, I went to sit outside and about 8:10 pm  I witnessed the most beautiful bright green and orange long streaking fireball shoot across the sky in the city of Novi, MI. I was in such awe to see such a beautiful thing, wondering if this was a meteor or what, it reminded me of a very brightly lit bottle rocket shooting across the sky, but there was no noise. Do you know what this was? I really would like to know if what I witnessed was indeed a meteor.

From T.J.-Bryan, OH:
On 10/04/2011  I was traveling east on state route 6 in Bryan O.H. And saw a green flash with like a red end to the green trail it only lasted a few seconds and vanished it was on the northern side of the Highway.

Kevin K.-Kitchener Ontario, Canada:

I was driving "North" along Hwy. 85 near Bridgeport Road exit and saw a very bright, long lasting meteor losing altitude, moving from West to North, in North West horizon over Kitchener/Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Light seemed to have terminated close to horizon. No other radio or internet reports seen or heard as of yet.

Hope this is useful.

Kevin

Roman V.-Embro Ontario, Canada:
Hi there, at approximately 7:58 pm tonight driving westbound on the 401 in SW Ontario Canada between Kitchener and Woodstock (aprox 5-6KM east of exit 250) I spotted a huge green ball to the west travelling from the south west in a northerly direction however it appeared to be losing altitude quite quick as well as fragmenting before it disappeared behind the tree line of the horizon.
I live 10miles west/Nwest of Woodstock and still being at least 20-25 minutes from home I thought it possible it may have traveled almost over my house.
More than likely it was closer to Lake Huron but no way to tell either way.
Hope this helps.
Cheers, Roman

Jill D.-Novi, MI:
At approximately 8:30pm October 4, 2011 I saw what looked like a comet or a meteor with a fiery long tail. It was moving pretty quickly and I was only able to see it for a few seconds. I am in Novi, MI and I am so curious if anyone else has seen it and if so, can u tell me what we saw!!

J.L.-Windsor Ontario, Canada:

I am located in Windsor Ontario Canada , right across the river from Detroit Michigan  ,Was watching tv  OCT 4 2011 about 8 pm  when I noted a glow from the front window which faces west. I have seen many shooting stars before & this appeared to much larger than anything I have seen , It was coming down at 45 degree angle & slower than the usual shooting star , was visible for 10 seconds or so before it went behind trees.  It looked large & very bright green there seemed to be a white halo around the edge & it was trailing white sparks , it broke into 2 pieces  both trailing white sparks. Fom my position it appeared to be heading west northwest  It was bright enough & large enough that I wonder if it impacted , surely someone saw it....

Cheryl M.-South Haven, MI:

I saw the fireball this evening (October 4, 2011) at around 8:05 pm EST.  I am in South Haven, Michigan along the Lake Michigan shoreline.  I was facing East and saw it move from upper right to lower left in the sky.  Upper left to lower right.  As it moved across the sky it moved downward.  It happened so fast but long enough to be in awe.  I questioned what I say and thought fireworks but there was no sound.    I did not hear a boom before the seeing the light.  We had just come outside 5 minutes earlier.  My biggest impression was the size of the white light ball that than streaked.  I told my son that I thought I saw green too at the time but now that a few hours have passed I'm not remembering exact details regarding the color.  Grateful to have witnessed it!  We had just come outside to check out the moon.  What an unexpected sky treat!

Thanks, Cheryl

Marc P.-South Central MI:
This evening shortly before 8p EDT, I witnessed a greenish/yellow streak like a comet in the western sky as I faced southwest in lower-mid Michigan.  It lasted for 6-8 seconds before it dissipated behind a 60' tree I was under.  It moved much slower than the usual shooting stars that I've seen and its trail was 5-7 tea the size of the moon at that time.  It was quite brilliant.  I'm quite fascinated to learn about other eyewitness accounts.  Is this an early part of the NASA predicted show of October 8??

B. Mulligan-Ontario, Canada:
Date: October 4th, 2011 Time: 8:11 EST Location: North Pelham, Ontario, Canada My wife and I were returning from an early movie and dinner and were almost home, driving due west down the road to our house. In the black sky ahead a white light suddenly appeared, much like the light on an airplane as it approaches you. It started at about 30 degrees above the horizon and descended quickly to earth at about a 45 degree angle. From our location it looked to descend from south to north. We could only see it for about one second and it disappeared behind the treeline which was fairly close. My wife and I both remarked on it; we had not seen anything quite like it before. When we arrived home I phoned the police thinking the light was indeed on an airplane that might have crashed within a few miles of us. They told me at the time they had received no other calls other than mine. I'm glad I found this site....now I can finally sleep! - BM

 
Jerry G.-NW OH:
I was sitting on my front porch in NW Ohio outside of Elmore when I saw a meteor coming straight down NNW of my location. It developed a tail and lasted for a couple of seconds before it went behind the trees. I live in a woods so I missed a fair amount of the view as it descended closer to the ground. I looked at my watch after I saw it and it was 8:05 PM. I did not hear anything.

Cherie B.-Livonia, MI:
I stepped out onto my patio last night and was facing west when I saw a bright light desending.  I thought it was a plane at first, but was much brighter.  Then it fragmented into 2 pieces and trailed for another couple seconds and then seemed to burn out.  I was looking for news reports this morning, and this was the only site that had any information about the sighting.  It was about 1/8 of the brightness of the moon and I didn't hear any sound.  I was curious if it was a meteor or maybe one of our many satellites up there. 

Charles N.-London, Ontario Canada:
Consistent with other folks, I saw the same thing.  I have never seen anything so large moving so slowly across the night sky.  It lasted at least 5 full seconds and was moving south to north and was visible as I approached due west.  The colour was more blue than green... blue on the top, greenish in the middle and bright white on the bottom.  As it passed the horizon to the north I waited to hear the 'boom'... not sure if this was a plane or a large firework.
Immediately after, on the radio in London (FM96) many folks called in and reported the same.  Very cool.

Benjamin G.-Cleveland, OH:
peace,

I live in Cleveland, Ohio. It was approximately 7:45. I was driving westbound, and it was so HUGE it caught my eye instantly. It seemed to start as a big ball and then the streak followed behind it. It burned up in a bright greenish-blue color. It seemed to be moving West to North as it fell out of the sky. I was in my car, so I didn't hear anything at the time.

Matt P.-Rochester Hills, MI 8:05pm:

Driving home tonight I saw a streaking white light travelong west to east.  It looked like a firework shooting through the shy. It lasted several seconds then burst into several pieces.  There was a plane flying by right above it. Very strange!!

Appears I am not the only one to see it.

Michelle B.-Windsor Ontario, Canada:

Did I really see this!? Amazing!! Talking to my friend after work in the parking lot in Windsor Ontario about 8:05 or so and was distracted by a light out of the corner of my eye. I looked and pointed and asked if she had seen that. She thought it was a falling star but I told her no way, it was like a ball of flames. I told my boyfriend (who thought I was losing it) and when I woke up someone had posted this link on 0facebook! What a once in a lifetime opportunity!! So cool! How often are these seen???
Thanks for letting me relive my encounter!!
Michelle

Lisa B.-Lake Michigan "Thumb":

My sister and I were on our way home from grocery shopping near the "thumb" area of Michigan and seen the fireball. It was lower in the horizon than anything I have ever witnessed. It was traveling from the east/southeast to west/northwest. Broke into two pieces before completely burning out. Never seen anything like it before. Glad to know others also witnessed it!

Lisa J. B

Eric C.-Farmington Hills, MI:

I was standing in a parking lot last night about 8pm and a friend and I witnessed the downward streaking fireball. It was very bright and multi-colored.

We were in Farmington Hills, Michigan near the intersection of Grand River Avenue and 10 Mile Road.  The fireball was to the Northwest of us (over Milford, MI)

It seemed very close...to the point where my friend thought it was a bullet (he has seen many in his home country).  I found your website after a Google search in looking for what the streak could have been.

Best Regards,

Eric M. C

Kelcie S.-Auburn, MI:

On October 4, 2011 at about 8pm EST, I was traveling west on US-10 near Auburn, MI, and I saw a greenish-orange tail of what I assume was a meteorite to the south. It appeared to be split in two and was only visible for a few seconds. It was a little less than 45 degrees above the horizon. It moved slightly north of west and was about a third the brightness of the moon last night. Hope this observation helps! I am a bit farther north than many of your previous comments. Please let me know if you desire any further information.

Thank you!

Julie F.-West Bloomfield, MI:

Last night my daughter, my neighbor, and myself saw what looked like a meteor or shooting star travel from the east to the west shortly after 8 p.m.  We were in Clawson, Rochester, and West Bloomfield, Michigan, in the Southeastern part of the State.  It was a stunning “sign in the heavens” for us, as all three of us had just spoken to God in prayer,

Jan B.-Belle River Ontario, Canada:

Large Fireball coming from south east spotted from Belle River Ontario, lasted for few seconds, before separated into at least 3 pieces and disappeared (burned) .

Amanda W.-Novi, MI USA 

A co- worker and I were leaving work at a location near the NE corner of 10 Mile & Beck in Novi, MI  at around 8/8:10 pm.  Altho I heard no sonic boom, it was my co-worker who noticed it first.  I turned to face West to just catch the tail end of a yellow – white stream in the sky before it dropped bel;ow a tree line & was no longer in sight.  Was traveling from W/NW direction (upper left to lower Right) .  My co-worker thought it was a shooting star as she has never witnessed one before J

Scott W.-Berkley, MI:

On the evening of 10/04/11 I was leaving the house around 8:05 pm in Berkley Michigan when I saw a large orange/yellow fireball in the western sky.  It had a long tail that quickly fizzled out as it appeared to fall from the sky going from what seemed the south east to north west.  It was a clear beautiful night and it was clearly visible for several seconds and was completely silent.  Not sure if it was a comet or a meteor.

Steve P.-Ypsilanti, MI

I also witnessed said meteor from Ypsilanti, MI. It was by far the largest and most impressive one I have ever seen; it appeared to be extremely close and moving straight down in the west northwestern sky before splitting into two pieces one that moved off slightly to the north and the other slightly to the south. Awesome!

Lisey S.-Unknown Location:

At around 8:00p.m saw what looked to be a meteorite in the western sky, travelling in a northerly descending direction. The projectile split into two, before burning out, and must have crashed somewhere near by. Shortly after, i heard a car alarm go off in which i assumed was hit by the fireball. (lol)

Dianne G.-Ontario, Canada:

On October 4, 2011 at approximately 8:10 pm, I was travelling west on Snyder’s Road between Petersburg and Baden (near Waterloo ON) and saw two very bright white lights in the western sky travelling in tandem at about a 45 degree angle towards the horizon.  They were visible for about 4-5 seconds before they faded.  Like another witness reported, I was concerned it was a plane going down until the lights quickly faded in the dark sky and I realized what I had seen was actually a fragmented meteorite.

Sue B.-Trenton, MI:
I was driving west on Vreeland Road toward Fort Street about 8:05 pm on the evening of October 4, 2011.  I was on the phone with my daughter who was in Monroe, Michigan at the time.  I saw the fireball/meteor and didn’t know what it was.  It seemed so low.  It was about 1/2 the size of a full moon, maybe a little smaller, but very large for a shooting star.  When I first saw it, I said, “Oh my God”.  My daughter said the same thing at the same time.  Then she said, “Shooting Star”.  I asked, “Did you see that too?”  Monroe is about 30 miles south of Trenton and we saw the same thing at the same time.  We couldn’t believe we both seen it at the exact same time.  It was like a large fireball...it only lasted a couple of seconds from when I seen it. It was travelling north west, pretty low in the sky.  It appeared to have broken in two, then it disappeared.  It was yellowish with a bluish/greenish tint around it.  Hard to remember now.  I listened to the news this morning but heard nothing about it.  I then searched the internet for information on it and found this site.  Very, very amazing.  I’ve never seen anything like it before.  Crazy!

Kathleen S.-Cincinnati, OH:
Hello...I'm writing in regards to the fireball/meteor I witnessed on October 4, 2011
I live in Cincinnati, Ohio and was traveling westbound on US 52 (along the Ohio River).  I witnessed a huge fireball/meteor that appeared to my North and was traveline in a west/ possible SW direction, hard to say exactly as US 52 curves along the river so I'm not sure if I was traveline due west or possible north at that particular section of the highway.  It was the largest meteor/fireball I had ever witnessed and lasted for a long time.  I was able to tell my daughter, "look at that shooting star" and she had time to look up from the back seat and witness it before it disappeared.  It definitely had me curious because I immediately went home and searched the local news stations and googled meteor showers. Thanks

Brian M.-Grayslake, IL:
On 10/04/2011 at approximately 7pm CST my wife and I were travelling Eastbound on Center Street (Cty A27) at Route 45 in Grayslake IL (60030) when we saw a blue/green fireball with a long trail descending at high speed.  I first noticed it at around 60 degrees above the horizon, almost straight east, and moving towards the horizon in a northeasterly direction.  It appeared to split into two pieces at about 40 degrees above horizon, with the smaller piece appearing to break off to the right from my perspective.  It then disappeared from my sight about 20 degrees above the horizon, just above the treeline from my perspective. We were located about 10 miles straight west from the western shore of Lake Michigan, almost equidistant between the heart of Milwaukee WI and Chicago IL.
I too thought it might be a fast moving plane that was crashing relatively nearby.  Really glad it wasn't!
Thanks for the great site!

Deanna C.-Columbus, OH:
I was traveling North on St. Rt. 315 North of Columbus, OH, facing the suburb of Delaware, OH, a few minutes after 8:00 p.m. on 10/4/11.  I saw a bright green light appearing to travel directly straight down from the sky toward the road in front of me.  Impossible to tell how far away, but it was very large.  I had thought it had to hit somewhere in Delaware, OH simply due to its size, but looking over these posts and the locations, I may be very mistaken.  Beautiful indeed, but I was pretty sure I was crazy.  :)

***If you are searching for information about this fireball and/or witnessed it, please leave a report of what you saw at wxtx01@gmail.com Please include the date and time, the direction you were facing/driving, the direction in which the object moved (upper left to lower right etc.) approximate size and brightness compared to a full moon, color, any flashes, streaks, fragmentation and any sounds or delayed sounds such as sonic booms, hisses, sizzles etc. Thank you! Your information is vital to research/recovery efforts so please take time to report.***