A very bright meteor, typically brighter than magnitude -4 (brighter than Venus), that appears as a glowing ball of fire streaking across the sky. Fireballs often leave persistent glowing trails.
From Middle English 'fir' (fire) and 'bal' (ball), originally used to describe various bright phenomena. The astronomical usage developed in the 19th century to describe exceptionally bright meteors that resembled balls of fire.
Fireballs can leave glowing trails that persist for minutes or even hours! These 'persistent trains' are caused by excited atmospheric gases and can be twisted into complex shapes by high-altitude winds, creating ethereal displays long after the meteor has vanished.
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