Fireball blazes across Texas sky

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Scientists: Mile-long asteroid could be dangerous to life on Earth in millions of years if it breaks up

The fire ball that passed over Japan in 2017 is linked to a mile-long asteroid. Scientists now believe that the asteroid, known as 2003 YT1 could break up and harm life on Earth.

Texas residents were stunned to see a fireball blaze across the sky on Sunday night. 

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According to NASA Meteor Watch, the celestial spectacle passed overhead just before 9 p.m. CT. 

"Hundreds of eyewitnesses in the states of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma report seeing a very bright fireball last night at 8:58 PM Central Daylight Time," the agency said in a Facebook post on Monday. "Analysis of their reports, combined with information obtained from a couple of videos from public/amateur cameras, shows that the meteor was first seen 48 miles above Texas Highway 11, between Sulphur Springs and Winnsboro. Moving northeast at 30,000 miles per hour, it traveled 59 miles through the upper atmosphere before fragmenting 27 miles above U.S. 82, east of Avery."

"The fireball was at least as bright as a quarter moon, which translates to something bigger than 6 inches in diameter with a weight of 10 pounds. The slow speed (for a meteor) suggests a small piece of an asteroid produced the fireball," it added. 

Hundreds uploaded witness reports to the nonprofit American Meteor Society (AMS), including three videos and CBSDFW.com said Monday that others claimed they had heard a "sonic boom." 

Fireballs are a common occurrence and NASA has programs devoted to tracking the exceptionally bright meteors.

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LiveScience noted Tuesday that thousands of small meteorites hit the Earth each year – though most strike unpopulated area or drop into the ocean.