Video shows meteor streaking across Pittsburgh-area sky
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — People reported seeing a meteor streak across the sky in the Pittsburgh area on Monday night.
Lisa D. shared a doorbell camera video from around 7 p.m. that captured a bright meteor blazing across the sky in Plum. Her camera faces west. According to the American Meteor Society, at least three other people in Pennsylvania reported seeing a meteor on Monday night.
— Ray Petelin (@RayPetelinWx) October 22, 2024
NASA says meteors happen when meteoroids enter a planet's atmosphere at a high rate of speed and burn up. Meteors that hit the ground are called meteorites. Scientists estimate about 48.5 tons of meteoritic material falls on Earth every day.
Right now, the Orionids meteor shower is peaking, but it was not known if the meteor seen on Monday was part of that shower. According to the American Meteor Society, in a normal year, people typically see 10 to 20 meteors per hour during the Orionids.
In January 2022, a meteor exploded over Pittsburgh, but no one saw it because it was a cloudy day.
2024 has been a great year for Pittsburgh stargazers
Astronomy lovers have had numerous chances to marvel at breathtaking views recently in Western Pennsylvania.
Last week, a rare comet was spotted streaking across the sky. The once-in-a-lifetime moment was captured by photos that showed the comet, known as Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, in the sky.
Before that, people in the Pittsburgh area were treated to the northern lights. People reported seeing a wide variety of colors, including green, blue and red.