Fireball In The Sky Turns Heads In Delaware Valley

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Look, up in the sky: it's what astronomers call a fireball -- and the rare sighting turned some heads yesterday afternoon throughout the Delaware Valley and across parts of the Northeast United States. 

Far from the opening salvo of an alien war on our species, what folks reported seeing between 12:30 and 1 was apparently a very bright meteor.

"It could be, oh, anywhere from the size of a basketball up to the size of maybe a Volkswagen Beetle," said Bob Lunsford with the American Meteor Society. "Probably closer to the Beetle, if it's that visible during the daylight."

Lunsford said dozens of people along the Northeast US noted what they saw sail through the sky on amsmeteors.org.  A Boyertown man described it as a bright green ball with a long white tail.

Just a couple weeks ago, a fragment of an apparent space rock crashed through a doctor's office in Virginia.

And Lunsford says this is prime time to see more bits of our solar system from the comfort of our own planet. "While we receive reports all year long, February through April is a very good time to spot fireballs, especially right after sunset."

Reported by Ian Bush, KYW Newsradio 1060