SKY · FIREBALLS & REENTRIES · AUSTRALIA

Did You See a Fireball Over Sydney?

If a brilliant streak just crossed the sky over Sydney, it was almost certainly one of two things — a natural meteor (a fireball, gone in seconds) or a human-made object falling back to Earth (a reentry, slower and often breaking apart). Here's what's recently been recorded near Sydneyand what's predicted to come down soon, plus how to tell which you saw.

FIREBALL vs REENTRY · SYDNEY

A meteor lasts1–5 seconds

A reentry laststens of seconds

Your latitude-33.9°

Fragments?reentry, often

A single fast flash = meteor; a slow, drawn-out glow with several pieces = a reentry.

From Sydney, at a fairly low latitude, you sit under the ground tracks of a wide range of orbits, so reentry trails are geometrically possible from many objects. Most reentries still happen over ocean or empty land — it's a big planet.

What's recorded near Sydney — and what's coming down

Computed for Sydney: the bright fireballs recently logged nearest you, and the objects predicted to reenter whose orbit can cross your latitude. For your exact spot you can also use your precise location — it never leaves your device.

WAS IT A METEOR OR A FALLING SATELLITE?

Checking the sky record…

Reading the live reentry watch list and the recent fireball record near you.