Great Balls O' Fire - What Was That?
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Those up late Tuesday night caught quite a surprise if they were looking up - a fireball streaking across the sky.
CBS4 Chief Meteorologist Craig Setzer caught it on camera - it appears to be either a flaming piece of meteor or space junk that breaks in two.
The American Meteor Society said they received 48 reports of the fireball over Florida. The general consensus was that it was tracking in a northeast direction, as spotters reported it from Naples to Port St. Lucie.
An observer in Naples described it as "a big ball, or a big moon, at low altitude, much lower than an airplane. Then, when it was midway to the horizon, it looked like something separated to the right of the main body slightly and disappeared on the horizon."
"Gloria H" in Oakhill, just south of New Smyrna Beach, said "This was a large bright light moving quickly across the sky. It had pieces break off that glowed orangish red. I saw pieces break off twice before it completely disappeared."
Monroe Co. Sheriff Sgt. Evan Calhoun's dashcam video captured the fireball just before 11 p.m. while he was working in the Lower Keys on Big Pine Key.
"Joel," reporting from Marathon said it was "The longest meteorite/shooting star I've ever witnessed."