NASA confirms meteor traveling over 30,000 mph exploded over Texas

Skygazers believe they saw a meteor streak across the Texas sky Sunday night.

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Update 3:30 p.m. EDT July 26: NASA Meteor Watch confirmed what hundreds of eyewitnesses across the Midwest already knew, that a fireball seen streaking across the night sky was a meteor.

The space agency said Monday the object, which was moving at 30,000 mph, was first seen 48 miles above Texas Highway 11. It traveled 59 miles before it fragmented, KLTV reported.

“The fireball was at least as bright as a quarter Moon, which translates to something bigger than 6 inches in diameter with a weight of 10 pounds,” NASA said on social media. “The slow speed (for a meteor) suggests a small piece of an asteroid produced the fireball.”

The American Meteor Society recorded 213 reports of the fireball.

NASA said the meteor was not part of the Perseids shower, which usually can be seen during the summer.

Original report: Officially though, there has not been confirmation from any agency confirming the flying object was a meteor, KTVT reported.

Residents started reporting sightings around 9 p.m. of the bright light in the sky.

Texas Storm Chasers said on social media that the meteorite could be seen in parts of Oklahoma as well, The Dallas Morning News reported. A loud boom accompanied the sighting when the meteor exploded.

Video of the meteor was captured by residents, driver’s dashcams and home security systems.

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