On this day in space! Aug. 10, 1972: A 'Great Daylight Fireball' lights up the sky over North America

On August 10, 1972, a significant atmospheric event occurred as a ‘great daylight fireball’ illuminated the skies across North America. The burst originated with a meteor entering the atmosphere at approximately 18 miles per second. Observations indicated that the object reached an altitude of roughly 65 miles above the surface. Scientists believe this was likely a stony meteoroid, possibly originating from the asteroid belt. This remarkable display provided valuable data for studying near-Earth objects and their interactions with our planet’s environment.