Huge Meteor Explodes Over Illinois in Stunning Video

Many people were watching the night sky this week due to the lunar eclipse and the potential of seeing the Northern Lights. An unexpected visitor to that sky party was a huge meteor that flashed over Illinois and a video captured the moment it happened.

According to the American Meteor Society, this meteor entered the atmosphere over Illinois just north of Peoria the night of Wednesday, August 26, 2026

James Hannon shared his video of this huge space rock. According to the map, James was in Central City, Iowa when he recorded this fireball. The American Meteor Society lists this meteor as being visible over 6 states including Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin.

Are there any currently any known active meteor showers?

The meteor shower that has been ongoing over the last half of August are the Perseids. Next up will be the Orionids starting in October. Scientists estimate there are at least 17 meteorites hit the Earth every day, but most land in remote places where they are never found. Millions of tiny space rocks impact the Earth's atmosphere every day, but most are the size of a grain of sand. The one that burnt up over Illinois this week was much more substantial than that.