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 4.0°N, 115.4°W on Saturday, August 15, 2026 at 07:32 UTC, about 37 km (23 mi) up. U.S. government sensors measured its energy at about 130 tons of TNT. Explosions this high up rarely cause damage on the ground.

Energy130 t TNT
Altitude37 km · 23 mi
Location4.0°N 115.4°W
Time (UTC)Aug 15 07:32
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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?

Meteor showers. Meteor showers happen when Earth passes through dust left by comets. The Perseids each August come from comet Swift-Tuttle.

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

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

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