Fireball over Georgia sparks meteorite investigation after debris damages home

A bright fireball that lit up the sky over Georgia and surrounding Southeastern states on June 26, 2025, is under investigation as officials examine whether it was caused by a meteorite.

The object may have caused property damage in McDonough, Georgia, where debris reportedly fell through the roof of a home.

The fireball appeared around 12:20 p.m. and was seen from Macon, Georgia, to Upstate South Carolina. More than 100 eyewitnesses filed reports with the American Meteor Society, describing a sudden flash, ground tremors, and a loud boom.

Radar imagery and lightning sensors from NOAA’s GOES satellites picked up signatures consistent with a meteor entering Earth’s atmosphere. A Columbia County resident recorded a video of the fireball, while another in Henry County reported a rock crashing into their home, piercing the roof and damaging the floor.

Although residents initially suspected an earthquake, the U.S. Geological Survey confirmed no seismic activity occurred. Experts now believe the shaking was due to a sonic boom from the object’s high-speed entry.

Meteorologists also identified a debris field near Blacksville, Georgia, just south of the Home Depot distribution center off Highway 20.

South Carolina authorities in Anderson, Greenville, and Spartanburg counties are also investigating potential impact sites. The exact nature of the object—whether a meteorite or space debris—remains unconfirmed.

Officials urge anyone with footage or images to submit them to local news outlets. Investigations are ongoing.