Fireball streaks across sky above southern Japan

Residents of southern Japan were treated to a spectacular celestial display when a brilliant fireball streaked across the sky late Monday night. The dazzling sight was captured on dashcam footage by a motorist driving through Kumamoto City’s Kita Ward, quickly circulating on social media and sparking excitement among stargazers.

According to Toshihisa Maeda, head of the Sendai Space Museum in Kagoshima Prefecture, the phenomenon was a fireball. This exceptionally bright meteor occurs when a space rock enters Earth’s atmosphere at high speed and burns intensely. While most meteors disintegrate before reaching the ground, huge fragments can sometimes survive the descent.

Japan frequently records such fireball sightings due to its active meteor-monitoring networks and clear skies in many regions. Experts say the latest event was harmless but a vivid reminder of the dynamic activity in our solar system, offering both scientists and the public a rare moment of wonder.