American Meteor Society
467 reports from IL, WI, MI, IN, OH, IA, NY, Ontario, KY and MN
The AMS has received 467 reports so far (and counting…) about of a fireball event over seen over Wisconsin on Monday, February 6th 2017 around 01:27 CST (07:27 UT.). The green fireball was seen primarily from Illinois and Wisconsin but witnesses from Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Iowa, New York, Kentucky, Minnesota and Ontario (Canada) also reported the event.
If you witnessed this event please fill an official fireball report.If you have a video or a photo of this event please contact us.
If you want to learn more about Fireballs: read our Fireball FAQ.
First Estimated Trajectory
The map below shows the witnesses location with the first estimated trajectory. The preliminary estimated trajectory plotted from the witness reports shows the meteor was traveling from the Southwest to Northeast ended its flight on the Lake Michigan somewhere between Sheboygan and Manitowoc, Wisconsin.
Below is are two videos of the event shared on the AMS Website by Daniel Lagos originally posted on the National Weather Service’s Twitter account from the Lisle, IL PD
Below is another video from a dashcam shared on facebook by Marcelle Canfora
Below is a video caught from the roof of the Atmospheric, Oceanic & Space Sciences Building on the University of Wisconsin campus (© UWSSEC)
NASA Astrobiologist Marc Fries found evidence of the meteorite fall on NOAA’s NEXRAD Doppler Weather Radar.
Below is a video of the first estimated trajectory of the event:
Heard impact of fireball in Neenah Wisconsin. Do not know where it landed, would go to landing sight if i knew where? Do you have any idea on your end?
Cresha and All,
If you check the “heat” map at: http://www.amsmeteors.org/members/imo_view/event/2017/454/
You will see that this object ended up in Lake Michigan.
Robert Lunsford
American Meteor Society
Yes i believe i might have found it i seen it when it was about a foot from the ground and then disappeared i went looking the next day and found what i believe to be the meteorite i live about 20 miles from lake michigan plz contact me if u want me to take u to the area and show u the rock
Something or some meteorite material usually gets close if not impacts the ground: a lot of cash in a meteor find. If you can argue finders rights you can usually have to give it up to study. Check for metals like iron, zinc, and copper. The green colour might mean it has a lot of copper.
Mark and All,
Copper is a rare element in meteors. Nickel, which also produces a green color, is much more abundant in meteors.
I did not see the Feb. 6, 2017 fireball (I was inside), but I did hear what sounded like a large explosion & rumble & felt the floors shaking. I am in Plymouth, WI (Sheboygan county) 53073.
This bright green fireball meteor streaked through the sky over Northern Illinois and southeast Wisconsin at 1:25 a.m. Central time. — I reviewed my weather-cam images from early Monday morning and discovered an image at 2:25:15 (EST) viewing north. On the horizon (compass bearing 345°), just to the left of the flagpole (due north), you can see the fireball. The light to the left of the fireball is a street lamp. ~ Greencastle Indiana
Image: https://www.facebook.com/JohnLobbanRADIO/photos/a.283933485096620.1073741826.134168520073118/767584643398166/
I live in mid Michigan. Between 10:30 – 11:00 last night I was talking to a friend on our home phone which is a landline phone. During the conversation, I experienced something really strange. The house was quiet, and during the conversation I felt/heard something like a puff of air that seemed to come out of the phone and hit my ear. I don’t remember an actual sound, it was more like a sort of vibration or something you would experience if there was a sonic boom or large clap of thunder. It only lasted a second and there was no repeat of what happened. I described to my friend what happened and asked if she had felt it, but she had not. I got up to see if there was any lightning in the sky, but the sky was clear and it was too cold for thunderstorms. I did turn off the TV and computer, just in case. If there had been any activity going on in the house, I probably would not have noticed the experience.
I do not know what caused the strange sensation, but wondered if there were any additional fireballs noticed at that time. Also, could a fireball cause such a sensation? It was probably caused by something else, but thought I might mention it to you. Thanks, Janie
Driving on hwy 212 in Minnesota at 1:26 in the mourning saw a bright blueish green streek of light rocketing through the sky. I have to say it was pretty amazing to witness.
I live in Ottawa, Illinois, 41.3456° N, 88.8426° W.
Most nights I do not sleep well. Early Monday morning I heard the engines of a tow-barge on the Illinois River, nearby. Then I heard what I thought was a large crash, thinking one of the barges had struck something. Could it have been the sonic boom of the meteor! My eyes were closed so I would not have seen any light. Regards, John
My father and I were driving northbound on 94/41 just passing the Illinois/ Wisconsin border in Racine county and saw a slow, green shooting star/ fireball type object! It was too slow to be a shooting star, lasted a good 5 seconds or so. Seemed to be traveling west to east or possibly SW to NE. Time was approximately 9:40-9:45 PM We both saw it and said what is THAT!? First time seeing such a thing!
I saw another one last night Feb 8: I was coming on 36 East towards Stillwater at about 9:35 pm.
I saw it very clear and similar to the one in your film.
It felll in the direction of the ti
St. Croix River, south east of 36. I was driving and could not film it , sorry!
In the wee hours of November 11th into November 12th, 2009, I saw a huge green fireball as I was driving west on Butterfield Rd. toward i-355 (just east of it near Oakbrook. It was traveling low, in a south eastern direction.
It was at least as big as the one in this video, if not bigger. I could see the thick black/grey textures of the dark smoke trail as it passed behind one of the tall office buildings. I couldn’t believe how much detail I could see in the smoke trail, and how low and close it was. I’ve seen smaller fireballs before, even green, but never with a thick smoke trail like that.
I was just starting my drive out of state for the night. I actually passed 355 coming from the west by mistake, and had to turn around, and that’s the only reason I ended up seeing it. I couldn’t believe that I found no evidence of anyone else seeing it that night. It was around 12:45 – 1:15 AM on a Tuesday or Wednesday night.
On 2/6/2017 a friend and i was driving to allegan mi on m40 north about 3am in the morning out the corner of our eye we seen a green ball of fire about 5 foot in the air coming down towards the field then when it was around 2 feet from the ground it just disappeared we looked at each other and said no way what was that then that after noon it was on the news well around 3 days later we went to the field where we seen it disappeared it had been raining and now was cold again which froze the ground we walked back amd fourth for about 4hrs we found one rock only one in a area around the size of a football field it was not frozen in the ground its the size of aroind a football but very heavy with burned stripes on the side and black coating on it we would like to talk to someone about this find it was truly amazing it has past simple home test we read on line about help
plunged into Lake Michigan, Aquarius Project, and teens across the city are now working together to design, build, and test a submersible sled (with magnets) that can be dragged along the bottom of Lake Michigan to retrieve the meteorites.
https://eos.org/articles/students-get-help-from-weather-radar-to-find-space-rock-remains
https://www.facebook.com/jango.fixit/posts/1477495495618067