Brilliant Fireball Over Canada Sparks Meteorite Hunt (Video)

Fireball over Southwestern Ontario
Canadian researchers are seeking the meteorite that caused this fireball over southwestern Ontario on March 18, 2014. (Image credit: University of Western Ontario)

Scientists are rushing to the site of a possible meteorite impact in Canada's southwestern Ontario after a bright fireball lit up the skies over that region Tuesday night (March 18).

The basketball-sized fireball was spotted at 10:24 p.m. local time in seven all-sky cameras operated by Western University's Southern Ontario Meteor Network, according to meteor scientist Peter Brown of Canada's Western University in London, Ont. Two other camera systems in Ohio and Pennsylvania operated jointly with NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office also spotted the fireball, he added. This video of the March 18 fireball shows all nine camera views of the meteor flare-up.

Western University scientists suspect the fireball exploded up about 47 miles (75 kilometers) above Port Dover, Ont., and moved west until breaking up around 20 miles (32 km) between Aylmer and St. Thomas, about two hours west of Toronto. [5 Amazing Fireball Videos]

"In this fall, meteorites may be found in a small hole produced by their dropping into soil," university officials advised. "Meteorites are not dangerous, but any recovered meteorites should be placed in a clean plastic bag or container and be handled as little as possible to preserve their scientific information."

Brown and Western University meteorite curator Phil McCausland are expected to hold a press briefing at St. Thomas Municipal Airport to discuss the upcoming meteorite hunt. They will be joined by meteor expert Bill Cooke, who leads NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., Western University officials said.

"Meteorites may best be recognized by their dark and scalloped exterior, and are usually denser than normal rock and will often attract a fridge magnet due to their metal content," officials at Western wrote in a statement today (March 20). The university is based in London, Ont., Canada.

Potential meteorite hunters should ask for permission of land owners before searching on private land, university officials warned.

Editor's note: If you captured a great photo of Tuesday's fireball over Canada, or any other night sky view, and would like to share it with Space.com for a story or gallery please send comments and images to managing editor Tariq Malik at: spacephotos@space.com.

Western University requests that any possible meteorite finds from Tuesday's should be reported to McCausland at 519-661-2111, ext. 88008 or on his cell at 519-694-3323. The university is posting updates about the meteorite hunt on Twitter @mediawesternu and with the hashtag #stthomasmeteor.

Follow Elizabeth Howell @howellspace, or Space.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

Elizabeth Howell
Staff Writer, Spaceflight

Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., is a staff writer in the spaceflight channel since 2022 covering diversity, education and gaming as well. She was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years before joining full-time. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House and Office of the Vice-President of the United States, an exclusive conversation with aspiring space tourist (and NSYNC bassist) Lance Bass, speaking several times with the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, "Why Am I Taller?", is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams. Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota, a Bachelor of Journalism from Canada's Carleton University and a Bachelor of History from Canada's Athabasca University. Elizabeth is also a post-secondary instructor in communications and science at several institutions since 2015; her experience includes developing and teaching an astronomy course at Canada's Algonquin College (with Indigenous content as well) to more than 1,000 students since 2020. Elizabeth first got interested in space after watching the movie Apollo 13 in 1996, and still wants to be an astronaut someday. Mastodon: https://qoto.org/@howellspace