A bright green streak lit up the night skies over parts of Arkansas, Illinois, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Missouri on Saturday night, leaving many residents puzzled. People quickly took to social media to share videos and photos of the phenomenon, which they believe was a meteor, commonly referred to as a “shooting star.”
What Is a Meteor?
A meteor is a small piece of debris from space that enters Earth’s atmosphere and burns up due to friction. This creates a bright streak of light in the sky, often called a shooting star. The debris is usually a fragment of an asteroid or comet.
Why the Meteor Appeared Green
The green color occurs when the meteor burns certain minerals, such as magnesium, as it enters the Earth’s atmosphere. This creates the vibrant and rare green streak visible to observers.
Social Media Reactions
One resident shared their excitement:
“Just saw a HUGE green meteor come across the sky and break up into several smaller pieces, with one larger piece continue out of sight….Layla just happened to come outside on the porch a minute before it happened and she got to see it too…pretty cool.”
Check out this green flash meteor from Perseid belt 2 days ago under 4k views pic.twitter.com/5iMZR6fGLg
— Bluntly Put Philosopher (@SocraticScribe) August 15, 2025
