In the early hours of September 30, 2020, a meteor soared through the skies over Ohio.
Caught on several cameras, the meteor caused a bright flash followed by a streak of light just before 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning. The American Meteor Society received over 200 reports of a bright fireball over eastern Ohio, which was not associated with any known meteor showers.
Even small objects traveling through Earth’s atmosphere can produce bright lights, so although the meteor was very visible, it wasn’t likely very large. Preliminary reports show that the meteor was moving towards the northwest and ended somewhere over North Benton, Ohio, about two and half hours northeast of Columbus.
Although this particular meteor isn’t believed to be a part of the showers, the Orionid Meteor shower will begin on October 2 and run for about a month. The Orionids, a stream of debris left behind by Halley’s Comet, will peak on October 21. The hours before dawn will provide the best viewing opportunities for the Orionids.
