Community Corner

Sightings of a Fireball Streaking Across SoCal

The Valley is abuzz with sightings of a fireball streaking through the sky at about 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Did you see it? (We didn't. The photo is from the Getty archives. We were at the Encino Neighborhood Council meeting when this happened.)

Local residents have been reporting a bright, white streak in the sky that lasted no more than five seconds. Here are a few of the described sightings sent to our e-mail and posted to the American Meteor Society’s Fireball Sighting Log:

"I was driving south on the 405 Freeway around 8:10 p.m. I saw a white streak of light and then a reddish-orange flameout of some sort of meteor. This all lasted about 3 seconds. It was traveling north to south and was on the right (West Side) of the freeway. When I saw it the light, it was just visible over the hill where the homes are on the top of the hill at Mountain Gate. Checking the Internet, see elpasoallsky.blogspot.com, other people had seen this streak of light and reported it."—Michael Martin, Sherman Oaks, to Encino Patch

Find out what's happening in Encino-Tarzanawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"I was driving southbound on I-110 at approximately 60-65 mph. I first saw it in the sky above the trees just south of the I-110 I-105 interchange. It then descended into the trees straight down. It's was a bright white, slightly tinted ball of light. I was tracking it while driving. I noted that it was before the El Segundo exit and west of the freeway. It wasn't descending really fast."—Rex Tjoa, Los Angeles, to American Meteor Society

"It was moving much slower than a shooting star and going straight down, it appeared to me. It was bigger than any planet or star in our galaxy that I've seen. About two-thirds of the way through its "flight" (or at least the portion I saw), it burst into flames. Serious yellow flames trailing behind it. I can't be positive but I thought the flames burned out and then I saw more of the meteor (just a white ball) afterward. Of course, "it all happened so fast." But it was definitely the most amazing astronomical event I've ever seen. And as a 52-year-old, well-educated woman, I've seen enough to know this can't compare to anything else. I was just 50 feet down the street from my house and I came bursting in the door shouting, "Where do I report a meteor?" That's how amazing it was."—Cherie Phoenix, Thousand Oaks, to AMS

Find out what's happening in Encino-Tarzanawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Did you see it? Did you take a photo or video? We didn't, but we're eager to hear more.


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