Asteroid flamed out passing over Lake Murray

A piece of an asteroid burning up created a flash in the predawn sky over the west edge of Lake Murray earlier this week.

Its path Tuesday across the Southeast was mapped by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the American Meteor Society on their websites.

Travel across the lake was brighter than elsewhere as the particle flamed out about 30 miles above earth, NASA officials said.

The sight of a fireball is common in Geminid meteor showers common in December, officials said on those sites.

It was one of 41 spotted across the United States that day, according to those reports.

Tim Flach

This story was originally published December 18, 2015 at 4:03 PM with the headline "Asteroid flamed out passing over Lake Murray."