Current:Home > ContactWatch as shooting star burns brightly, awes driver as it arcs across Tennessee sky -ValueCore
Watch as shooting star burns brightly, awes driver as it arcs across Tennessee sky
NovaQuant Quantitative Think Tank Center View
Date:2025-04-10 21:05:00
A meteor made a surprise appearance in the sky early Friday morning, burning brightly as it traveled across two neighboring states before dissipating.
Glenn Sparks, a driver headed east on Interstate 40 in Tennessee, documented the moment on Facebook, writing that he had just witnessed the "most amazing meteor of my life" at around 1 a.m. on Friday.
The shooting star, according to Sparks, looked like it was roughly over Greeneville, about 65 miles east of Knoxville, when he spotted it.
"It lit up the sky for over 10 seconds with multiple explosions along the way," Sparks wrote. "Absolutely gorgeous!"
Watch: Meteor briefly illuminate Tennessee skyline
Southwest Virginia residents also caught sight of the fleeting ball of fire, capturing the meteor, also known as a shooting star, on video as it whizzed by in a matter of seconds.
Sparks' awe was audible in the video clip that he took, saying "What?" and erupting into laughter.
While Sparks may have been in awe, meteoroids enter Earth's atmosphere regularly, with NASA estimating that that "several meteors per hour" can usually be seen on any given night.
"Scientists estimate that about 48.5 tons of meteoritic material falls on Earth each day," according to NASA. "Almost all the material is vaporized in Earth's atmosphere, leaving a bright trail fondly called 'shooting stars.'"
veryGood! (69)
Related
- 'Malcolm in the Middle’ to return with new episodes featuring Frankie Muniz
- London's Metropolitan Police plagued by institutional racism, misogyny and homophobia, investigation finds
- New giant trapdoor spider species discovered in Australia
- Kate Spade 24-Hour Flash Deal: Get This $280 Crossbody Bag for Just $65
- SFO's new sensory room helps neurodivergent travelers fight flying jitters
- Art repatriation: Fighting traffickers in an illicit global trade
- Jennifer Garner and Son Samuel Affleck Have a Slam Dunk Night Out at Lakers Game
- The Tragically Similar Fates of Bobbi Kristina Brown and Her Mom Whitney Houston
- Biden administration makes final diplomatic push for stability across a turbulent Mideast
- Walking and talking at the same time gets harder once you're 55, study finds
Ranking
- The Daily Money: Spending more on holiday travel?
- Succession's New Trailer Promises a Knife Fight for Its 4th and Final Season
- Victoria's Secret Fashion Show to Return in 2023 as a New Version
- In a twist of fate, Afghanistan military dog set to reunite with its owner in the U.S.
- The Super Bowl could end in a 'three
- Judge Greg Mathis' Advice to Parents of Queer Children Will Truly Inspire You
- Jennifer Garner and Son Samuel Affleck Have a Slam Dunk Night Out at Lakers Game
- Return to Amish: Meet the 20-Year-Old Trying to Become the First Amish College Basketball Player
Recommendation
Pregnant Kylie Kelce Shares Hilarious Question Her Daughter Asked Jason Kelce Amid Rising Fame
Every Bombshell From Alex Murdaugh's Murder Trial Testimony
Former Middle East Envoy Dennis Ross on regional instability — Intelligence Matters
Afghanistan school year begins without classes as students unaware and teen girls barred
The FBI should have done more to collect intelligence before the Capitol riot, watchdog finds
Macklemore Details What Led to His “Very Painful” Relapse
Long-ignored Fourth Mafia emerges as most violent in Italy: You always feel the fear
Several more attacks against U.S. bases in Syria after alleged Iranian drone kills American contractor, drawing airstrikes