Meteor in California
Yes. Global Meteor Network cameras tracked 396 meteors over California from Oct 2 to Nov 1, 2026, on 25 different UTC days. The newest was on Oct 30, 7:50 pm PDT. The brightest reached magnitude -5.9.
Newest meteors over California
Times are local, with the time zone shown. Speed is the speed when it started glowing. Magnitude is absolute magnitude; lower is brighter.
| When | Shower | Brightness | Speed | Started at | Start point |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 30, 7:50 pm PDT | No shower (sporadic) | mag 0.8 | 18 km/s | 81 km up | 33.84° N, 116.96° W |
| Oct 28, 1:34 am PDT | No shower (sporadic) | mag -1.8 | 70 km/s | 114 km up | 34.69° N, 118.04° W |
| Oct 27, 5:34 am PDT | Orionids | mag -2.9 | 66 km/s | 112 km up | 33.98° N, 114.76° W |
| Oct 27, 5:14 am PDT | Orionids | mag -1.6 | 68 km/s | 112 km up | 33.26° N, 116.33° W |
| Oct 27, 3:38 am PDT | No shower (sporadic) | mag -2.6 | 35 km/s | 103 km up | 33.66° N, 114.63° W |
Brightest over California
| When | Shower | Brightness | Speed | Started at | Start point |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 5, 5:14 am PDT | NUE (IAU code) | mag -5.9 | 69 km/s | 110 km up | 32.71° N, 114.88° W |
| Oct 15, 5:16 am PDT | No shower (sporadic) | mag -5.9 | 62 km/s | 108 km up | 32.86° N, 114.76° W |
| Oct 8, 4:32 am PDT | No shower (sporadic) | mag -5.4 | 66 km/s | 116 km up | 34.43° N, 116.19° W |
116 came from known showers: Orionids (44), Southern Taurids (14), NUE (IAU code) (6), ACL (IAU code) (5). The other 280 were sporadic, which means they belong to no shower.
Last night
GMN's latest daily file (Oct 31, 19:07 UTC to Nov 1, 10:25 UTC) has no meteors within 300 km of the middle of California.
Why this page may miss a meteor you saw
GMN only computes a meteor's path when two or more of its cameras film it, and the cameras must have clear skies. Daytime meteors and meteors under clouds are missed. Meteors are placed where they started glowing, often more than 100 km up (see the start heights above). A meteor seen from California can start over a neighboring state and count there.
Saw a fireball in California?
AMS calls a meteor a fireball when it is brighter than magnitude -4, about as bright as Venus (AMS ). Report it on the AMS fireball form . Reports from many people help find where it went.
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01Meteors over California
Were any meteors filmed within 300 km of 37.25, -119.61 (the middle of California) in the Global Meteor Network's latest daily data? Give the time, shower, brightness and speed of the 5 newest.
More: all 50 states · meteor shower tonight · Leonids · Geminids
Data: Global Meteor Network trajectory summaries, CC BY 4.0 . Cite Vida et al. 2020, MNRAS 491(2) and Vida et al. 2021, MNRAS 506(4). GMN data is preliminary and can change as more cameras report.
Questions people ask
Was there a meteor in California recently?
Yes. GMN cameras tracked 396 meteors over California from Oct 2 to Nov 1, 2026. The newest was on Oct 30, 7:50 pm PDT.
How do I report a fireball in California?
Use the American Meteor Society's fireball report form at fireball.amsmeteors.org. AMS calls a meteor a fireball when it is brighter than magnitude -4.
Where does this meteor data come from?
From the Global Meteor Network, a volunteer network of meteor cameras. Its trajectory files are public under CC BY 4.0. We place each meteor where it started glowing.
When is the next meteor shower visible from California?
The Leonids peak on November 17, 2026, and the Geminids on December 14, 2026 (IMO 2026 calendar). Both can be seen from the US on clear, dark nights.