WRAL WeatherCenter Blog
WRAL's WeatherCenter meteorologists take you behind the weather headlines, answer questions and look to the sky to add insight and explanation for conditions in the Carolinas. You also can find us on Facebook and become a fan!
MIKE MOSS SAYS: Julio, I found a number of reports from North Carolina of a fireball (an especially bright meteor, additionally called a bolide if it flashes or explodes at some point along its path) sighting a little after 8 pm that night, which may have been the same meteor you witnessed. The color was described as white, and the brightness was variously described as between that of the planet Venus and of the full moon. You can check for recent sightings at the address below, part of the American Meteor Society web site.
http://www.amsmeteors.org/fireball/fireball_log2008.html
As for your second question, meteors are not generally detected by weather radar, but there are special radars that can be tuned and operated in such as way as to detect meteors and especially the plasma trails they leave behind at high altitudes. These have been used since the 1950s to study meteors, upper atmospheric physics and high altitude weather.
- Engineers struggle to fix deep-space observatory Posted: May 15
- Low tornado count continues Posted: May 15
- Space station built to weather battering from space rocks Posted: May 1
0 Comments
Home Alarm - $0 Down + $25/month
Kids Eat Free Every Sunday at Dickey's Barbecue
Click Here for Myrtle Beach Summer Deals!



![[READ STORY]](http://wwwcache.wral.com/asset/news/national_world/national/2013/05/14/12445890/12446751-1368816960-100x75.jpg)
![[VIEW PAGE]](http://wwwcache.wral.com/asset/news/local/2013/05/13/12441232/hahn-100x75.jpg)
![[GALLERY]](http://wwwcache.wral.com/asset/entertainment/2013/03/28/12278304/LNL-100x75.jpg)
![[VIEW PAGE]](http://wwwcache.wral.com/asset/traffic/2009/07/23/5645694/beltline-100x75.jpg)
![[GALLERY]](http://wwwcache.wral.com/asset/entertainment/2013/03/04/12182235/12182236-1362457268-100x75.jpg)
![[SLIDESHOW]](http://wwwcache.wral.com/asset/share/2013/05/21/12468739/519b8d1a87510-100x75.jpg)
![[SLIDESHOW]](http://wwwcache.wral.com/asset/entertainment/out_and_about/2013/05/22/12474884/2223651_628447-100x66.jpg)
![[SLIDESHOW]](http://wwwcache.wral.com/asset/lifestyles/travel/2013/05/22/12474711/12474711-1369252752-100x75.jpg)
![[SLIDESHOW]](http://wwwcache.wral.com/asset/news/national_world/national/2013/05/21/12469645/12469658-1369218247-100x75.jpg)
![[SLIDESHOW]](http://wwwcache.wral.com/asset/lifestyles/travel/2013/05/20/12466380/12466380-1369083310-100x75.jpg)
WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.
This story is closed for comments. Comments on WRAL.com news stories are accepted and moderated between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.