FIREBALL

Fireball over open water

Map: Fireball over open water

A fireball, a small asteroid burning up in the atmosphere, exploded over open water at 32.5°N, 36.8°W on Thursday, May 7, 2026 at 05:52 UTC, about 36 km (22 mi) up. U.S. government sensors measured its energy at about 200 tons of TNT, and it was traveling at 24.8 km/s (55,478 mph). Explosions this high up rarely cause damage on the ground.

Energy200 t TNT
Altitude36 km · 22 mi
Speed24.8 km/s
Location32.5°N 36.8°W
Time (UTC)May 7 05:52
See it on the live 3D globe →Watch live on YouTube🔔 Get alerts near you

How big was it?

Most fireballs come from rocks a meter or a few meters across. The 2013 Chelyabinsk fireball over Russia, about 440 kilotons, was the largest in a century; it shattered windows across the city. Most land over the ocean, unseen.

Did you know?

Tens of thousands found. Astronomers have found more than 35,000 near-Earth asteroids, and new ones are added almost every day.

Data: NASA JPL CNEOS fireball reports, from U.S. government sensors.

More: every space weather and near-Earth page · all events

More from around the world