Fireball streaks across SoCal sky


SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA >> A fireball seen streaking slowly across the northern sky before breaking into two pieces and vanishing late Wednesday left residents throughout Southern California and beyond wondering what they had just witnessed.
The unidentified object was seen, and in some cases, video-recorded, in the Southland skies shortly after 9:30 p.m.
Reports of the strange celestial activity flooded into Los Angeles County law enforcement agencies, officials said.
The National Weather Service in Reno reported witness sighting in their jurisdiction.
Astronomer Phil Plait took to Twitter to share his thoughts. He said the object was also reported in Utah and Colorado.
“#Meteor over western US almost definitely human space debris like a rocket booster or the like. Slow moving and broke apart,” tweeted the scientist, known as “The Bad Astronomer.”
At the sheriff’s Industry Station, in the central San Gabriel Valley, deputies received numerous calls from people who believed they’d just witnesses an aircraft breaking apart mid-air.
“Our helicopter crew and a pair of deputies on patrol reported they actually witnessed it also and it appeared to be a meteorite shower breaking up in the atmosphere,” sheriff’s Lt. John Gannon said in an email. “It must have been quite a show for a moment, because it was very noticeable and bright within the area of the valley between 605 and 57, 60 and 210 (freeways).”
There was no indication an aircraft had crashed, Gannon said.
It appears to have been just a natural phenomenon,” the lieutenant said. “We are in contact with LAX and local aviation officials and verifying no plane is unaccounted for, just to be sure.”

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