February 16, 2011 – NEW YORK– “A streak of silver and then a flash with crazy colors.” That’s howone person on Twitter described the celestial phenomenon seen bythousands of people across five states. Around 12:30 p.m. Monday afireball appeared in the sky over Pennsylvania, traveling east forhundreds of miles. The Internet lit up with reports of sightings frompeople in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland.H.L. Devore says he was in his office in Ridgefield, N.J., looking outof the window when he saw it and said to himself, “What the heck isthat?” Scientists say it most certainly was a large meteor, a piece ofan asteroid or a comet that falls through the earth’s atmosphere. Thislatest meteor, one scientist says, was probably the size of a car andfrom its trajectory likely landed somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean.Professor Jon Friedrich says while meteors fall to earth on a dailybasis, “It is unusual to see one so bright in the middle of the day.” -NBC New York
