The AMS has developed technology that can plot the trajectory for any fireball reported to our system. The accuracy of these trajectories is dependent on the number of witnesses who report the event and their distribution around the fireball. This event provided a large volume and good geographic distribution of witnesses. Below is the trajectory estimate we plotted for this fireball.

Trajectory For AMS Event 2013/1185

If you witnessed this fireball event please fill out an official fireball report with the American Meteor Society.

The AMS also received 18 additional reports for a fireball on the East Coast approximately 3 hours later at 12:05 AM (event #1144). While the vectors for the 2nd sighting put the object much farther south initially it was not clear if this was a separate event or if a large volume of witnesses reported the wrong time (certainly possible on a holiday weekend). We have contacted some of these witnesses in an attempt to confirm the reported time and have verified this was in fact a separate event. Below is a map of the second fireball event.

Memorial Day Fireball – May 26th, 2013 9:05 PM Eastern Time

If you saw either of these events please fill out an official fireball report.

Below is a map of the four events, illustrating the common direction of these fireballs.

Four Fireballs at Four in Last 24 Hours

Google Earth users can download a KMZ file containing the trajectory estimates for these four events (you must unzip the file before opening in Google Earth). If you witnessed any of these fireball events please fill out an official fireball report.

On the east coast over 25 witness reported a fragmenting fireball with delayed boom sounds around 12:30 EST (4:30 UTC). The fireball entered the atmosphere near washington DC and headed on a north westerly trajectory terminating over central PA.

Click the trajectory image below for an interactive map containing the witness reports for this event.

Fireball with Booms over Maryland and Pennsylvania – May 18th, 2013

Nearly 45 minutes before this event around 9:30 Mountain time (3:45 UTC), a brillant fragmenting fireball was reported in Colorado. The fireball in Colorado was also traveling from the south east to the north west.

Click the trajectory image below to see the map for the Colorado event.

Colorado Fireball – May 18th, 2013

Two significant fireballs in different parts of the country each sharing a similar heading and reported within an hour of each other is interesting. More study would be required however to determine any linkage between the two events.

If you witnessed either of these events, please fill out an official fireball report.

Below is a map of the sightings received so far and a rough trajectory based on these reports.  As more reports are received the accuracy of this estimate will improve.

UK Fireball – May 8th, 2013 – Click for Event Map

Click Here to fill out an official fireball report. Using your witness report we can build and improve the trajectory for this meteor and determine the radiant from where it came.

The first event happened around 9:30 EST and was seen from Illinois, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Ontario and Pennsylvania. Witness reports indicate the fireball occurred somewhere over North-Central New York.

Below is a map of the witness reports and estimated fireball trajectory. Click the image to read the witness reports and view an interactive map for this event.

Fireball Meteor – May 1st 9:30 EST

Two hours and fifteen minutes later at 11:45, witnesses from Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia reported a bright fireball meteor over central Pennsylvania.

Below is a map of the witness reports and estimated trajectory for the second fireball event.

Fireball Meteor – May 1st, 2013 11:45 EST

With the peak of the Eta Aquarids just a few days away, one might guess these events are related to the meteor shower, however due to the timing and location this is not likely. First, both of these fireballs occurred several hours before the Eta Aquarids radiant had even risen. Secondly the radiants for these fireballs were no where near the Eta Aquarids radiant. Event 967 which occurred first, started in the west and headed east , this would place its radiant on the opposite side of the sky from the meteor shower radiant. The second event also happened more than 4 hours before the Eta Aquarids radiant had risen, and this fireball originated in the south west, heading north east, placing its radiant far from that of the meteor shower as well.

If you witnessed either event please complete an official fireball report.

Wyoming Fireball – March 28th, 2013

If you witnessed this event please fill out an official fireball report. Your sighting will help improve the trajectory and information about this fireball event.

Wyoming Fireball Heat Map – March 28th, 2013

Below is an animated gif of both frames captured by Carl’s camera. Each was a two second exposure.

Heat Map For March 22nd, 2013 Northeast Fireball
(last update: 03/23 – 11am ET)

Here’s an estimated trajectory model for the meteor spotted in the northeast earlier tonight. This model is calculated by computing the intersection points of each witness with all other witnesses. These points are then averaged for the starting and ending points of the meteor. Click map below to view event sightings page.

Trajectory For March 22, 2013 Fireball Event

Significant Sonic Boom Producing Fireball Events Logged With the American Meteor Society from January 2005 through February 2013.

This document, The Analysis of a Citizen Science Based Fireball Tracking System is available for download in PDF format or HTML (with the Appendix).

An Excel worksheet containing the raw data used in this study can be downloaded here: AMS Fireball Events XLS

A Google Earth KML file containing the estimated trajectories of the significant AMS events from 2005-2013 can be download here: Trajectory Estimates for Significant AMS Events 2005-2013.  (KML file provided in zip format and must be unzipped. File can only be used with Google Earth. You can download Google Earth for free here.

Trajectories modled in this KMZ file are only estimates determined by calculating the intersection points of all witnesses and then averaging these results to determine the starting and ending points of the fireball. The model’s margin of error varies based on the accuracy and location of witness reports. We continue to make improvements to the trajectory modeling algorithm and data collection methods.

Questions regarding this study should be sent to AMS Operations Manger Mike Hankey. Mike can be reached at mike.hankey@gmail.com

Here’s a video of the meteor captured by Simon Crask

Click the map below to read the witness reports and use the interactive fireball map for this event.

After analyzing reports from select witnesses we can find a trajectory solution supported by 5 witnesses on the start point 4 on the end point. This is just an estimate based on witness reports which can be at times inaccurate. Finding commonality with 4 or more points however, increases confidence. With multiple reports of a sonic boom, this fireball probably left meteorites, but if it did, they are most likely at the bottom of the ocean.

If you witnessed this fireball, please file an official report with the AMS.