Brilliant fireball lights up skies over Tennessee (video)

A meteor lit up the night sky over Tennessee and neighboring states late Sunday (June 7), sparking 120 fireball sightings across 12 different states and Canada. 

The fireball occurred at 9:42 p.m. EDT (0142 GMT) and blazed a trail over southern Ohio, according to a ground track by the American Meteor Society. It was visible for up to 3.5 seconds from as far south as South Carolina and as far north as Ontario, Canada, AMS reported.  

One witness video shows the fireball from Knoxville, Tennessee, as the meteor flares up in a dazzling streak and disappear seconds later.

Related: How to see the best meteor showers of 2020

A brilliant fireball lights up the night sky over Knoxville, Tennessee, in this cell phone video captured from a moving vehicle by witness Austin R. at 9:42 p.m. EDT on June 7, 2020 (0142 GMT June 8).

A brilliant fireball lights up the night sky over Knoxville, Tennessee, in this cellphone video captured from a moving vehicle by witness Austin R. at 9:42 p.m. EDT on June 7, 2020 (0142 GMT June 8). (Image credit: Austin R./Amsmeteors.org ()

"Fireball caught over Knoxville, TN last night," AMS representatives wrote on Twitter alongside the video. "This fireball has been [seen] from IL, IN, KY, MD, MI, NC, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA, WV & Ontario!"

The video, which lasts about 2 seconds, was captured by witness Austin R. from a moving vehicle.

We're currently in between major meteor showers at the moment, with the Eta Aquarids of May behind us and August's Perseid meteor display still ahead. But there is still some general meteor activity to look out for. The AMS has a guide of current meteor forecasts from June 6 to June 12 here

Editor's note: If you captured a photo or video of Sunday night's fireball over the U.S. and would like to share it with Space.com, let us know! Send images and comments in to spacephotos@space.com

Email Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com or follow him @tariqjmalik. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Instagram

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Tariq Malik
Space.com Editor-in-chief

Tariq is the editor-in-chief of Live Science's sister site Space.com. He joined the team in 2001 as a staff writer, and later editor, focusing on human spaceflight, exploration and space science. Before joining Space.com, Tariq was a staff reporter for The Los Angeles Times, covering education and city beats in La Habra, Fullerton and Huntington Beach. He is also an Eagle Scout (yes, he has the Space Exploration merit badge) and went to Space Camp four times. He has journalism degrees from the University of Southern California and New York University.