ASTRONOMY PICTURE

OF THE DAY

JULY 23, 2025

Fireball over Cape San Blas

EXPLANATION

Have you ever seen a fireball? In astronomy, a fireball is a very bright meteor—one at least as bright as Venus and possibly brighter than even a full Moon. Fireballs are rare—if you see one you are likely to remember it for your whole life. Physically, a fireball is a small rock that originated from an asteroid or comet that typically leaves a fading smoke trail of gas and dust as it shoots through the Earth’s atmosphere. It is unlikely that any single large ground strike occurred—much of the rock likely vaporized as it broke up into many small pieces. The featured picture was captured last week from a deadwood beach in Cape San Blas, Florida, USA.

Image Credit & Copyright

Jason Rice