Early Morning Meteor Lights Up Twin Cities Sky Friday Morning
TWIN CITIES, MINNESOTA - Did you see it? In the early hours of Friday, May 23, 2025, residents across the Twin Cities and the broader Midwest were treated to a spectacular celestial display as a brilliant fireball streaked across the sky. The event occurred between 12:30 and 1:00 a.m. CDT, captivating observers in Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Michigan, and North Dakota.
The American Meteor Society (AMS) received numerous reports detailing the fireball's appearance. In Minnesota alone, sightings were logged from Burnsville, Minneapolis, Rochester, Belle Plaine, Aitkin, and Foley. Rick Good of Burnsville, Minnesota, shared the video above on Nextdoor, stating his camera picked up the fireball around 12:30 AM. His camera was facing east toward Apple Valley, Minnesota.
According to the preliminary and pending reports on the American Meteor Society’s website, observers described the meteor as intensely bright, with some estimating its magnitude to be as luminous as -21, indicating an exceptionally radiant fireball.
According to the AMS, fireballs are meteors that shine brighter than the planet Venus, typically with a magnitude of -4 or greater. When a fireball reaches a magnitude of -14 or brighter, it's often called a bolide. These luminous events occur when meteoroids—small fragments of asteroids or comets—enter Earth's atmosphere at high speeds, causing them to heat up and emit light as they disintegrate.
The widespread nature of the sightings suggests that the meteor entered the atmosphere at a high altitude, allowing it to be visible over a vast area. While not uncommon, such events are always awe-inspiring and serve as a reminder of the dynamic nature of our solar system.
The AMS encourages anyone who witnessed the fireball to submit a report on their website, which we have linked here: Report a Fireball. These firsthand accounts are invaluable for scientists studying meteoric events, helping to determine the meteor's trajectory, origin, and potential remnants.
For more information or to report a sighting, visit the American Meteor Society's official website.
Written by: Will Wight
Video Credit: Rick Good of Burnsville, Minnesota.
