Very bright fireball illuminates night sky over Guangdong, China
A very bright meteor streaked across the night sky over southern China on May 28, 2025, briefly illuminating Maoming in Guangdong Province and parts of Hainan. The event occurred around 13:00 UTC (21:30 local time) and was followed by a loud boom.
Fireball meteor in Maoming, Guangdong, China on May 28, 2025. Credit: RenderNature
A bright fireball meteor lit up the skies above Maoming in China’s Guangdong Province and northern parts of Hainan Province on the evening of Wednesday, May 28. The event took place at approximately 13:00 UTC (21:30 local time), and the glow from the meteor momentarily turned night into day.
Chinese observatory officials confirmed the object seen over Maoming was a fireball meteor, which is much brighter than the average meteor. The meteor had a glowing trail that shifted in color, starting with warm orange-yellow tones and fading into blue-green as it moved.
Local residents also heard an explosion, and the meteor is estimated to have fallen into the South China Sea. https://t.co/lOVYOyECUJ pic.twitter.com/FIbbiwiRor
— Jim (@yangyubin1998) May 28, 2025
A fireball streaked across the sky in western Guangdong! pic.twitter.com/9qee4b1irv
— Jim (@yangyubin1998) May 28, 2025
A fireball meteor, or bolide, occurs when a large meteoroid enters Earth’s atmosphere and rapidly heats up due to friction, producing an intense flash of light and, sometimes, a loud sonic boom. Most smaller meteors burn up in the upper atmosphere before reaching the ground.
| Compilation footage shows the moment a meteor/fireball streaked across the sky in Maoming City, Guangdong Province, China
— RenderNature (@RenderNature) May 28, 2025
On the evening of May 28, 2025, there was a loud bang in the sky, and a super bright fire meteor suddenly descended over the urban area of Maoming!. pic.twitter.com/jaCsZtvocI
The meteor in China traveled from the northeast toward the southwest and is thought to have either burned up entirely or ended up in the South China Sea.
A loud boom was heard by residents in Maoming and nearby areas, consistent with a sonic event produced by a large fireball entering the atmosphere. Despite the sound and bright illumination, no impact site or debris has been found, and there were no reports of damage or injuries.
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