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 37.6°S, 161.6°W on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 at 11:26 UTC, about 37 km (23 mi) up. U.S. government sensors measured its energy at about 79 tons of TNT. Explosions this high up rarely cause damage on the ground.

Energy79 t TNT
Altitude37 km · 23 mi
Location37.6°S 161.6°W
Time (UTC)Sep 15 11:26
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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?

Spot the station. The ISS is the third-brightest object in the night sky after the Moon and Venus. NASA’s Spot the Station site says when it passes over you.

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

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