Fireball report
A description of a very bright meteor that a member of the public sends in to help scientists work out its path.
A fireball is an extra-bright shooting star, as bright as the planet Venus or brighter. If you see one, your eyewitness report can really help. When many people in different places describe the same fireball, scientists can combine the reports to work out where it travelled, and whether any pieces might have reached the ground as meteorites.
Write down what you saw as soon as you can, before you forget: the date and time; where you were standing; which direction you were facing; where in the sky it started and ended, perhaps using landmarks, trees or roofs; how long it lasted; its colour; whether it broke into pieces; and any sounds afterwards, such as a rumble or bang. Photos or dashcam and doorbell videos are very useful. Many countries have meteor groups that collect these reports.
Public reports helped locate the Winchcombe meteorite, which fell in England in 2021 and became the first meteorite recovered in the UK for about 30 years. Never look at the Sun when searching the sky. If you think you have found a fresh meteorite, don't go onto private land without permission, and don't taste, cut, heat or scratch it.
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Level: Beginner Ages 7 and up