Bright Fireballs Light Up Night Sky Across More Than a Dozen New Jersey Communities, Leaving Residents Stunned

Late Thursday night, bright fireballs startled New Jersey residents. Flashes of light moving quickly overhead were strange and memorable in many towns. Many people saw fireballs appear, burn brightly, and disappear. A Blackwood home security camera caught the moment for many nearby residents.

Aberdeen, Atlantic City, Egg Harbor Township, Paulsboro, Spotswood, Trenton, Voorhees, Washington, West Long Branch, and Westampton reported from Central and South Jersey. Fireballs occurred at 8:20, 8:30, and 11:30 p.m. Some reported a two-second flash, others a seven-second fireball.

Other places existed besides NJ. Hundreds of Easterners saw nighttime fireballs in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maine, and Virginia. This pattern is so common that skywatchers and experts suspect mid-November meteors.

Experts say North American Taurids and Leonids meteor showers are well-timed. This season, they start fires. Astronomy teachers say fireballs radiate in directions that make shower sources hard to find. These showers burn fireballs and meteoroids in Earth’s atmosphere.

The Taurid meteor shower peaked this week and continues in November and December. The Leonid meteor shower will peak late November 16 and early November 17. Meteor hunters search Taurus and Leo showers.

A surprise show reminded New Jerseyans that fireballs can happen year-round. Meteor showers increase the likelihood, but experts say bright fireballs can happen any night. Many New Jersey towns have seen glowing streaks that spark conversation and wonder, offering a brief but memorable glimpse at cosmic events.

Sources
Reports from regional meteor observations
Expert commentary from astronomy educators
Public eyewitness accounts