On this day in space! Aug. 10, 1972: A 'Great Daylight Fireball' lights up the sky over North America
On August 10, 1972, a large fireball streaked across the atmosphere over North America, traveling from Utah to Alberta, Canada. The event, known as the 'Great Daylight Fireball,' remains a significant historical example of a daytime meteor sighting.
Why it matters
The event serves as a key case study for astronomers in understanding the behavior of Earth-grazing space objects and how media documentation of such events has evolved.
An Earth-grazing fireball burst through the sky over North America. that was visible across parts of the United States and Canada.
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Click for next article Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter On Aug. 10, 1972, an Earth-grazing fireball burst through the sky over North America. It didn't hit the ground, but instead it passed straight through the sky.
The fireball entered the atmosphere somewhere over Utah and passed northwards, leaving the atmosphere over Alberta, Canada about 100 seconds later.
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