A satellite re-entry caused a bright streak of light to appear in the sky last night, leaving residents in Northwest Florida and beyond amazed. Astronomer Jonathan McDowell said it was not part of a meteor shower, but rather a decommissioned commercial imaging satellite.
The satellite, which was previously in orbit around the Earth as “space junk,” re-entered the atmosphere above New Orleans, producing a fireball that could be seen from Florida to Missouri. According to McDowell, astronomers had been tracking the satellite’s descent for three hours prior to the event, expecting it to burn up completely.
The satellite, traveling at an incredible 17,000 miles per hour, encountered significant heat as it pierced through the atmosphere. This intense friction caused the satellite to burst into flames, creating a visible fireball that could be seen across the southeast region of the United States.
Source: https://mynbc15.com/news/local/spectacular-fireball-seen-from-pensacola-to-missouri-as-satellite-re-enters-atmosphere