NUFORC Sighting 12281

Occurred: 1999-11-16 19:30 Local - Approximate
Reported: 2000-03-08 00:00 Pacific
Duration: unknown
No of observers: 2

Location: Columbus (20 miles north of, RT 71 southbound), OH, USA

Shape:
Characteristics: Aura or haze around object, Left a trail, Emitted other objects

Fireball that subsequently broke-up or separated into two objects with debris streaming away

While traveling from Cleveland, OH. to Columbus, OH. on RT 71 southbound approximately 20 miles north of Columbus, as a passenger, I observed a bright object. I thought it was the landing lights of an airplane approaching Columbus Airport until it began to separate into two perhaps three distinct pieces with smaller debris all seeming to stay in the same flight path (as the tail of a comet). I assumed it to be a meterior as the season was correct for meterior showers, but the time was too early being 19:30 hours.

Posted 2000-03-16