Fireball over Beaver Falls

Summary

A 61-year-old man in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, observed a reddish fireball in the sky on August 1, 1963. The object appeared 5 degrees east of north and moved in a straight path toward the north, trailing sparks. The witness, a chemical engineer, described it as volleyball-sized and saw it for four seconds. He mentioned seeing a similar object the previous night, suggesting it might have been a meteor. The report concluded it was an astronomical meteor.

The sighting was recorded at 02:33 and the witness stated his wife also saw it. Weather data showed clear conditions with no wind, supporting visibility. Although a weather balloon was initially considered, it was ruled out due to wind direction and the observer's location. The official report classified the event as an astronomical phenomenon, attributing its disappearance to the loss of combustion.