From Chuck Johnston
(CNN) — Southern California residents flooded 911 centers Wednesday night with calls about a mysterious, fast-moving streak of light in the sky.
Was it a meteor?, they wondered.
The answer, according to meteorologists, is maybe.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command weather department says the streak of light that caused consternation from many most likely was part of a meteor shower.
“We’ve gotten numerous phone calls of people reporting seeing something bright—consistent with a meteor shower—over the eastern desert communities of San Diego,” said Lt.Michael Munsey of the San Diego Sheriff’s Department.
There were sightings as far away as Arizona, Utah and Las Vegas, CNN affiliate KCBS reported. And someone even claimed on YouTube that he captured footage of the streak of light.
Matthew Isaacs, from Mission Viejo, said he was driving when he saw the flash of light.
“I saw this big, greenish flash like, light up the sky. It was headed pretty sideways from like, east to west. I thought, ‘Is that a firework?’ And then I realized, that couldn’t be that big. It’s just in the middle of nowhere in a totally dark area where there’s no houses or anything where anyone would shoot fireworks. I thought, ‘Man, it must have been a meteor,'” Isaacs told KCBS.
The light most likely came from the South Taurids meteor showers.
These meteors are generally the most visible in the first half of November, the American Meteor Society says.
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